Bad Wolf's Howl
by Janiqua
Summary: AU Reunion fic. When Jack and the team get pulled into Pete's World, they must rescue Rose from Harold Saxon, i.e. the Master. But are they prepared for an alternate realty or will it overwhelm them? Janto. Jack/Ianto. Ten/Rose. Complete.
1. Into the Rift

Torchwood/Doctor Who

**Bad Wolf's Howl**

**Author's Note:** I shouldn't be writing this, but with all the Doctor Who Series Four Finale madness going on, I'm in an obsession mode and can't get it out of my head. I've been trying to satiate myself with Torchwood, but that's not working, so I'll have a go at this. Please be gentle, I know lots of people have already written this kind of fic, but now it's my turn. Okay, then… Allons-y!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Torchwood or Doctor Who. This is, after all, just fanfiction.

**Warning: **As far as spoilers go, be prepared. This takes place after Exit Wounds and the Doctor's Daughter but will ignore everything after Turn Left because I don't have all the finale details yet. Just be prepared. ALSO, I've never written slash before but this _is_ Torchwood we're talking about and I myself can't deny there's something going on between Jack and Ianto. Probably Jake and Mickey, too. I try not to write overtly explicit romantic scenes of any kind, but if you're homophobic then Torchwood isn't for you.

**Summary: **When the Torchwood team gets hurtled through the Rift into a parallel world, one with zeppelins, they discover how their lives might be different if only they were normal. Rose Tyler, Suzie Costello, John Hart, Harold Saxon, and even more appear.

**ooooooo**

The Hub was quiet today. Normally vibrating with energy and activity, an epicenter of madness or efficiency depending on where you looked, today it was quiet, today it was still. Even the pterodactyl seemed docile. The computers were powered down and the ambiance of the technologically enhanced secret base was no longer thrilling and out-of-this-world as Martha Jones remembered it, as if you were part of an incredible adventure just by standing there inside, but was rather cold and painfully bleak. Bleak, now there was a good word. Like the TARDIS back in 1913, wallowing away in misery without the Doctor. Martha shivered at the thought, remembering the heartache that year had brought her. It was in the past now thankfully where it belonged, but she couldn't say the same for the heartache here. It was still fresh and raw, by far, far worse than loneliness and unrequited love.

"Jack?" Martha spotted the captain sitting at a desk that had been cleared of everything but a computer, two files, and an empty coffee cup. Glancing around, Martha realized that every part of the base had been tidied up; there wasn't even the slightest trace of a clutter anywhere. Ianto, she could well imagine, had been keeping himself busy, but he wasn't here now. Neither was Gwen. As far as Martha knew, it was just her, Jack, and the bloody pterodactyl. "Jack, let me call the Doctor. If anyone could possibly understand, you and I both know it's him."

"Thanks," Jack said, rising stiffly to his feet. He turned and smiled halfheartedly at Martha. "But the Doctor can't bring them back. Short of helping me run away, flying me somewhere across the stars, there's nothing he can do. And I already swore never to leave Gwen and Ianto like that again." They had had this discussion before. When Jack had called Martha on the securest line available to mankind, when he told her his own brother had killed Tosh and Owen, her first thought had been the nine hundred and something year old Time Lord who alone could truly empathize with the comparably young captain. They were two of a kind, Jack and the Doctor. Since that phone call, Martha finally began comprehending what the path on which both men trod really meant. Long, arduous, filled with loss…

Small wonder the Doctor so often overlooked falling in love. Had he learned as a child staring into that damn Vortex or whatever the hell it was that he'd be better off alone and aloof? That way, when people died around him he could carry on without shedding a single tear. Of course, Rose Tyler had been the exception, but he had met Rose after losing all of Gallifrey. He had been alone, vulnerable, and no matter what the Time Lords taught at that daft Academy of theirs, Martha believed with all her heart that you can't make it through time and space without a hand to hold. Rose had been that hand.

But Rose was gone now. The Doctor, Martha knew, would be very reluctant to start another relationship like that again – especially after losing Jenny. Thank god for Donna, otherwise Martha would have been tempted to stay in the TARDIS forever where she could keep an eye on the Doctor and keep him from growing too blank, too empty. She couldn't afford that anymore. She had Tom to think about now.

What the Doctor really needed was a man like Captain Jack. And whether or not he chose to admit it, Captain Jack needed his Doctor. He was the Face of Boe! He would live for billions of years, becoming the last of his kind, just like the Doctor. Martha remembered it well. Jack and the Doctor were both walking the same path, just at different points. Couldn't they… couldn't they just walk it together?

No. Because Jack still had Gwen and Ianto, Torchwood, a pterodactyl, and an active Rift to watch over. He couldn't just leave all that. Maybe one day things would be different, but as it was right now he could only carry on. Without Tosh and Owen. Tears stung in Martha's eyes. She had cried for strangers before, she could cry for Tosh and Owen. She still considered Owen her patient and she hadn't had nearly enough time to get to know Tosh as well as she would have liked. It wasn't fair. None of it was fair!

"Hey," Jack said gently, walking up to her and enfolding her in his firm, strong arms. Martha almost choked at the irony of it; she had come to comfort him, not for him to comfort her. "You're part of the team, Martha Jones. You're part of _my_ team, whether or not you work for U.N.I.T. or Torchwood. After everything we've been through together, that much is undeniable." Was he reading her mind, telling her not to be ashamed of crying?

"I can stay for two, maybe three days… a week if I really push it," she said, pulling away from Jack and wiping her eyes. "Help you get sorted out, though I must say it looks like Ianto's on top of things, as always."

"Not as often as you'd think," Jack wittily replied, though Martha pretended she had no idea what he was talking about.

"The whole A.T.M.O.S. fiasco devastated my mum like you wouldn't believe," she went on. Francine Jones loathed, hated, and despised all things alien and with very good reason. Martha knew there would always be people unable to cope with the truth about space and time and unfortunately her mother was one of them. Thankfully her brother, Leo, had no memory of the year that never was, but the rest of the family still need to recover and such things took time, especially for Francine. "She's gotten overprotective, my mom has. Every time I leave the house, she's suspicious. Forget being a doctor, I think she wants me to stay at home, plan my wedding, and become a useless housewife."

Jack smiled. "As if you could ever be useless."

"I couldn't tell her why I was needed in Cardiff," Martha said, ignoring the compliment. Or was it another reassurance? "I mean I can't lie to her, but if she knew…" If she knew two of Martha's friends had been killed thanks to their extraterrestrial and Rift activities, activities that Martha herself hadn't yet renounced and probably never would, as if she could, then the woman would be furious.

"What did you tell her?" Jack asked, leaning against a handrail. Martha knew his interest was genuine; in fact, he was pretty much the only one in the entire world she could confide in regarding her inability to reconcile work with family. He knew Francine Jones, like he knew Clive Jones and Tish. He had spent a year with them onboard the Valiant. He cared about all three of them, probably more than Martha had a chance to care for Tosh and Owen.

She sighed. "I told her I needed to visit a friend. I told her not to worry, it's just a visit. I'm not sure she believed me, which is why I can only stay two or three days."

Jack nodded. "She saw the pain in your eyes and like the mother she is, she knew you weren't out to buy your wedding dress." He shifted slightly and crossed his arms; Martha knew by his expression they weren't going to be talking about the pain in _anyone's_ eyes for much longer. "Speaking of your wedding dress, I want an invitation. I don't know if you heard about Gwen's wedding, but I'm not gonna let history repeat itself and if some alien intends to crash the party, I intend to be there to kill it for you."

"Hold on!" Martha slapped his arm, laughing. "Not all aliens are bad. I just so happen to have friends among the Hath, a group of fishlike humanoids, and I'd sooner invite _them _to my wedding than you!" She tried not letting the memory of one Hath in particular who had died trying to save her life hurt too much, even as she teased about them with Jack. It was… yet another reason why traveling with the Doctor had grown too painful, but she shouldn't dwell on the pain, right? After all, Jack wasn't.

"Oh, no," he said, his familiar flirtatious charm returning with that smile of his. "If they come, I _have _to be there. I know humans, Martha, and if I'm not there those poor creatures will be ostracized whenever you're off dancing with your dad or your husband."

"At the risk of sounding like a certain, stuffy Doctor, you'd best stop it Captain Jack Harkness," Martha said sternly, feigning disapproval. "You think you're God's gift to all things living and breathing, don't you? Well, it's not going to work on me and it's not going to work on anyone at my wedding. Besides, you just said you wanted to come for my protection and you can't be a bodyguard if you're too busy upstaging me with benevolent aliens."

Jack chuckled. "I think you'd be surprised by what a handsome man with advanced parallel processing can accomplish. My talent for multitasking is off the scale. Just ask Ianto."

"I'll take your word for it, thanks," Martha said, scoffing. She peered around the Hub, noting once again how devoid it felt. How could Torchwood survive with only three? Tosh and Owen… they had both been so integral to the team. Martha wondered if they knew, if they had ever imagined how much they were needed. Could Torchwood last without them? "So… where is Ianto? And Gwen?"

"Gwen is with Rhys, they're spending the day together," Jack said, rolling his eyes. He ambled over to one of the few online monitors where Martha recognized part of the city's schematics. Two red dots blinked steadily on and off, one of which appeared to be within a shopping center. Jack pointed at it. "There. Looks like Rhys is earning a few extra points, taking her out on a shopping spree. I hope he can afford a good one. You're talking to a professional buyer here, Martha. I have high standards and if Rhys doesn't return her with at least five bags and a proper manicure I'm going to have to take himout myself and show him what a shopping spree really means and believe me, that's the last thing I want to do."

Martha was at a loss. She wasn't surprised that Jack had Gwen and Ianto tagged, not after everything they'd been through, and actually it was quite reasonable, almost justifiable, but it was something else he said that shocked her. "You? A professional buyer?"

Jack shrugged, smirking. "I was on television once. Granted, I wasn't actually buying anything and it'll be thousands of years from now, but as far as fashion's concerned I had much better taste than those two hostesses, which is all that matters."

"No doubt," Martha allowed. "And what about Ianto?" Jack stared at the other red dot on the screen. It was blinking right on the bay, not far from the Roald Dahl Plass. If Martha had been paying attention she might have seen him on her way in, but her mind had been too focused on other things. And obviously, from the look on Jack's face, she wasn't the only one preoccupied. For a moment she wondered if Jack meant to answer her.

"Out on a walk," he said at last, leaving Martha with the distinct impression not to push for details. They were all being stifled by grief and there wasn't anything else to it. Somehow they needed to pick up the pieces and get on with their lives, but until then and even afterwards grief would forever haunt them.

"I'm sorry," Martha whispered. Jack glanced back at her and nodded silently.

**ooooooo**

It was overcast outside. On the water, boats were quietly nodding yes to some incomprehensible, universal question humans couldn't even begin grasping. It seemed simple, but in the years he had spent working for Torchwood, Ianto Jones had learned better. There was no simplicity left in the world, if there had ever been any at all. He leaned against a railing that overlooked the bay and stared absently into the distance. It was unbearable, the loneliness he felt. Since Jack's return, he had truly hoped such pain was in the past, but of course he'd been deluding himself. Jack and Gwen… They were all he had left now. Jack was his only consolation. If anything ever happened to him…

_"Jack, you saved me. You showed me all the wonders of the universe and… all those possibilities… and I wouldn't have missed it for the world."_

A part of Ianto knew what Tosh meant, but for the most part he rejected the notion that the cosmos had any wonders in them at all. Torchwood had brought him nothing but horror, doubt, anguish, treachery, despair and that bloody sense of extreme insignificance you endured every time you looked at the stars. There was so much out there, more than he could imagine, and most of it was out of reach. Over the past three years his life had been devoted to his work, to cleaning up the mess that piled up and up and up on top of Cardiff, like a desk covered with mountains of garbage. Torchwood dealt with the scum of the universe, not its wonders. So yes, Ianto knew there was something out there, something magnificent that gave life meaning and countless possibilities, something doubtlessly related to Jack's Doctor, but from where he was standing whatever it was couldn't be farther away. Thank god Tosh had seen and recognized it before she…

Pushing off the rail, Ianto resumed walking with his hands tucked in his coat pockets. As a rule he tried not to think about Tosh or Owen, but when he couldn't forget he forced himself to go over their favorite pizza, their favorite take-out, how they liked their coffee, what night might be convenient for them all to play pool somewhere, or cards, or see a movie together as a team, a complete team… pretending nothing had changed and everything was as it should be. Again he was deluding himself, but it was better than facing the truth. In all honesty it made him grow number, which was a blessing. If the world only had pain in store for him, he would rather be numb.

As Ianto walked, a tremor swept violently through the city. The earth rumbled like thunder, the waves in the bay swelled dangerously, and Ianto along with everyone else stumbled gracelessly to the ground. He threw his arm out and grabbed the railing, gasping in shock while other men swore. Women began screaming, a baby started crying, and as the ground shook with greater force and frequency, the only thing to do was hold on for dear life. Ianto clung to the railing, tense, sweaty, and openmouthed. He thought he'd seen everything, but when that familiar, blindingly bright, blue and silver light tore through the sky, space, and time itself, causing yet another part of the world to collapse, he remembered why no one could face the universe alone, least of all him. He needed Jack and Gwen. He needed them now.

**ooooooo**

_Golden light flooded the cabin. One by one, the scientists crept backwards, staring cautiously at the powerful but helpless, beautiful but monstrous girl Harold Saxon had pinned up off the ground on his infamous zeppelin. He called it a Hadron Web and the power lines impaling her were connected to what resembled an authentic grandfather clock, though the scientists all knew, or at least suspected, that the clock was merely a façade. After all, only a naïve fool would think Saxon owned anything earthly, especially if used for research. He was alien, more so than the Cybermen, and that was the only suitable conclusion. Otherwise the scientists would have to accept the fact that humans were capable of such atrocities and none of them could deny this was an atrocity._

_It was wrong. This girl, this wild, majestic, and inspiring girl should not be caught up in a web like some pathetic bug. She should be free, untamable, uncontrollable. While studying her, more than one scientist had grown mad, but when they tried releasing her, when they touched the power lines, the web's energy incinerated them within seconds. Only she could survive it even as it drained her of power, transferring what Saxon called the Vortex from her veins to the grandfather clock. And for what? None of the scientists knew._

_"Doctor," the girl spoke with two voices, one of which sounded human and the other like a goddess. She always spoke; one of the scientists' duties was to transcribe her every word. She was never coherent and hardly ever used sentences; normally she only mentioned different names and events that only made sense to Saxon himself. Doctor. Time War. Torchwood. Daleks. Void. Hell. Bad Wolf. Always Bad Wolf._

_But something was different. She had awoken angry; her golden eyes had never flashed brighter. She could not escape, Saxon had promised them that much, but she was still dangerous. This whole project was drowning with hazards. Energy sizzled through the room as the zeppelin met with unexpected turbulence._

_"I am the Bad Wolf._

_"I am the Bad Wolf._

_"I am the Bad Wolf."_

_"We need to contact Mr. Saxon now!" a scientist shouted, but it was too late. The zeppelin erupted in a blaze of golden radiance that shook the entire planet. Every corner of the earth felt the impact… and so did one particular city across the void via the Rift._

**ooooooo**

"Gwen, what is it?"

Rhys was chasing after her as quickly as he could, which really wasn't saying much considering he had little to no practice running through an earthquake, but nevertheless his perseverance was impressive. It might be slowing her down and as she raced away from the car where she had dumped three new pairs of shoes, she paused every once in awhile to glance back and order him not to follow, but truth be told Gwen appreciated his devotion. Since Owen and Tosh… well… she had learned never to take her loved ones for granted again especially in the midst of disaster.

Having recklessly driven from the mall back to the bay, Gwen could see the Rift in front of her. Oddly enough it appeared golden as if made from sunlight. "This cannot be good," she said. Movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention and she turned anxiously. "Jack! Martha!"

The captain was pulling the young doctor away from a woman lying limp on the ground. At first Martha resisted him, but when they heard Gwen's voice they faced her with equal dread. The Rift shouldn't be active, it shouldn't be doing this, and Gwen immediately realized they had no answers, no means of stopping it, nothing, absolutely nothing. They were literally empty-handed.

"Gwen!" Rhys had caught up with her – apparently she had stopped moving, stopped breathing, but now she looked at him, truly took him in, his pudgy face, brown hair, and everything, as if it was the last time she'd ever see him. "Answer me, Gwen, what the hell is that?" He breathed heavily, his eyes wide with shock, but alive with spirit and resolve. There was a mettle in him that not even she had seen until recently. And how she loved him for it.

"Gwen!" Martha was scrambling towards the newly wedded couple dressed casually in blue jeans and a red leather jacket which meant she hadn't come all the way to Cardiff on business. Obviously her arrival had been either very good or very bad timing, depending on one's standpoint. Personally, all things considered, Gwen was glad to see her there. "It's the Rift! Jack's tried everything, but he can't seal it! Come on! We have to find Ianto!"

But Jack already had. With one arm wrapped around Ianto's waist, the captain was guiding him back to the group. Luckily the younger man didn't seem injured, just a bit dazed and that was understandable. However, both of them paused when they spotted Rhys and irritation flashed in Jack's vibrant eyes. "Gwen!"

"Don't start!" she shouted. This wasn't the time for territorial disputes. "Jack, what's happening?"

Before he could answer or so much as shrug his shoulders a fresh wave of golden energy poured out of the Rift. Time itself came to a stop as Gwen, Rhys, Jack, Ianto, and Martha all stared up at it in alarm. They felt like they were alone in the world, just the five of them facing an abyss that threatened to consume them. And then, the next thing they knew, it _was_ consuming them, pulling them off the ground and sucking them in like a vacuum. Together Gwen and Martha screamed, Rhys cussed, and Ianto held tightly onto Jack while Jack closed his eyes and prayed aloud for his Doctor.

Seconds later they were hurtling through time and space.

**ooooooo**

Please review! Cheers!


	2. Is it Time Travel?

**A/N: **Thanks for the reviews! Now, I'm not sure about the dates of the show, I'm never sure when it comes to Doctor Who, but I will assume Series 2 takes place in 2006, Series 3 in 2007, and Series 4 in 2008. If anyone disagrees, please let me know. Thanks. Allons-y!

**ooooooo**

It was warm outside. The first thing Martha noticed was the warmth. London never got this hot and as far as she knew, neither did Cardiff. It felt like she was scorching!

Opening her eyes, Martha carefully pushed up off the grass and sat on her knees. How long had she been unconscious? She was in a park now; how did that happen? God, she hoped she didn't have a concussion. Gingerly fingering the back of her head, she found no cuts or bumps and when she tested the rest of her body there weren't any noticeable injuries. Satisfied, she pulled off her jacket and climbed to her feet. It didn't make much of a difference, the heat was still stifling, but in this kind of environment a pink tank-top was just more practical than red leather. Jack thought so, too. She could see him about ten meters away with his blue sleeves rolled up past his elbows helping Ianto out of his coat.

"What happened?" she asked, staggering towards them. They were definitely in a park, an urban park, surrounded by trees and buildings that were crowned with zeppelins. Zeppelins! Martha froze when she saw them hovering in the sky above, outnumbering the very clouds three to one, not that there were many clouds to begin with. It was a beautiful, clear, blue day, but… "Oh my god, where the hell are we?"

"Another world," Jack said simply, looking solemn as he folded Ianto's coat and tossed it on a nearby bench. "I've never seen the Rift act like that before and it pulled us through. This has to be another world, it's the only explanation, and I don't know how to get back." On the bright side, Martha thought, the Rift seemed to have settled down with very minimal damage, if any damage at all. In fact, apart from them, the city's inhabitants were none the wiser; mothers were out with their children, joggers were loping along dirt trails, and over the far hedge Martha could make out the city's traffic streaming left and right without delay. Aside from the high temperature and countless zeppelins, everything seemed in perfect order. Almost idealistic.

"Jack!" Gwen had found them and with Rhys jogging at her side they were able to regroup. "Jack, it's not another world. Look!" Somewhere she had gotten her hands on a newspaper which she now held restlessly in the captain's face. Rhys too, Martha observed, was panting, sweating, and trembling in agitation. Technically he wasn't even part of the Torchwood team and therefore shouldn't even be here, but Martha had gotten Jack to admit, if only in private, that he had occasionally been useful and in situations like these they could all use the extra help, considering they were a bit shorthanded. "It's the future, Jack," Gwen continued. "We've traveled into the future. This is London, 2011."

Martha caught her breath and Ianto paled as Jack grabbed the paper and pored over it intently. They all waited for his guarantee that it was a mistake, that three years could not have passed, that Martha had not missed her wedding and that her family did not think she was lying dead somewhere, either on Earth or some far off planet, without ever having the chance to say I love you or goodbye. Tom… Would he have waited for her? Would he have searched for her? The heat suddenly felt a hundred degrees worse, worse than a sauna, worse than catapulting through space towards a living sun. She couldn't believe it. "Three years?"

Jack must have heard her desperation; he glanced up sharply, his eyes fierce and chivalrous. "Nothing to worry about, Martha," he said, though she found his tone unconvincing. There was something he had yet to tell them, wasn't there? She could feel it, her gut wrenching in anticipation, but Jack disappointed her with yet another measly reassurance. "I'll get you to your wedding."

"Just think," Ianto muttered. "We could steal a zeppelin. Ride it back home. You could have your wedding in the sky. Might even make the trip worth it. You never know."

Jack smirked. "I prefer barrage balloons myself, but since-"

"Jack!" Martha and Gwen shouted simultaneously and he held his hands up, tossing the paper onto the ground. Both women knew him well enough to recognize his carefree charm for what it really was, an attempt to mask whatever concerns were presently troubling him. Concerns he must have found in the paper… the paper he'd so carelessly tossed aside…

Glaring at Jack, refusing to even consider marrying Tom anywhere but in a church on the ground, Martha stooped down to pick up the paper. Jack sagged a little, clearly upset by her intuition, but she didn't mind and when he didn't try stopping her, she concentrated on the headline news. Global warming. Massive flooding. Something about the Bio-convention and the remnants of Cybus Industries, whatever that was.

"And this has never happened before?" Rhys asked Gwen while Martha skimmed for whatever information had caught Jack's attention. President Jones was endorsing Pete Tyler's efforts in backwards engineering the alien engine recently discovered in the North Sea. President? Three years was all it took to uproot parliament and convert it into some sort of… People's Republic? That seemed odd… not to mention unlikely.

"Of course this has happened before," Gwen was trying to answer Rhys' question. "Or rather something like it. But Jack, you and Tosh went _backwards_ in time, not forwards, and even then the rest of us were at home where we belonged, where we could open the Rift and bring you back."

"Yes, but let's not dwell."

There. Martha found it. Her eyes widened as she read the news: Recent earthquakes attributed to an explosion onboard the Valiant, a zeppelin belonging to Harold Saxon, U.N.I.T.'s chief scientific consultant. There was no picture. In fact, the article wasn't given nearly as much of a headline as it deserved, what with earthquakes, explosions, and the possible ramifications of an experiment gone wrong. Harold Saxon, Valiant, U.N.I.T., scientific consultant… The truth was Martha didn't need a picture or in-depth article to confirm her suspicions. None of this was coincidental. There couldn't be two Harold Saxons and certainly not two Valiants within three and a half years of each other, right? It was out of the question! Which meant the Master had returned. Somehow he wasn't dead. Somehow he had bought a zeppelin, infiltrated U.N.I.T., dodged the Doctor, and failed an experiment that resulted in explosions and earthquakes. All in the course of three years.

"Excuse me," Martha said, storming away from the group. Gwen, Jack, and Rhys were still discussing the situation, though she felt Jack's gaze sweeping after her, as well as Ianto's. For all she knew, Gwen and Rhys were both perfectly oblivious to her movements, but Jack and Ianto were forever watchful, ever vigilant, not that she could bring herself to face either one of them right now. She couldn't. Not after this. She had given up everything to fight Saxon… She had trekked all over the globe fighting him, resisting him, allowing complete strangers to sacrifice their lives in her name while those she loved were kept prisoner above the ground. It sounded thrilling and sensational being a legend, a freedom fighter, Earth's only hope for survival, but Martha hated it. She had cried everyday, losing track of the times she thought about giving up because she just didn't have the endurance… She had traveled across the stars, but that didn't make Earth any smaller when she had to walk across America and sail across the Atlantic. This couldn't be happening again. She would _never_ allow the Master to regain control.

Whipping out her phone, Martha opened her address book and scrolled down to the Doctor. She had been gone three years and in that time Harold Saxon had caused god only knew what kind of damage. Did the Doctor know about it? He must, and he must have tried stopping it, but Martha didn't want to think about the possibility of his failure. She had to ring him up, ask him to find her, maybe even return her and the rest of Torchwood back to past where she could prepare herself for the Master's resurrection. Rules or no rules, she couldn't let history repeat itself!

"Sorry, Jack," she whispered, clicking the Call button and holding the phone up to her ear. Whether or not the captain wanted his Doctor's sympathy, he was going to get his Doctor's assistance, god willing. Please, please, please let the Time Lord answer!

The phone rang and rang and rang until a strange woman's mechanized voice informed Martha that she had no signal and apologized for the inconvenience on behalf of Cybus Industries. She proceeded to inform Martha of the Cybus Network and its free trial period, but by that point Martha had already hung up and was trying not to panic. There had to be a signal. The Doctor had given her phone universal roaming care of frequent flier privileges! Unless the Master or something else equally as dangerous happened to be blocking the signal, the only explanation was that the Doctor himself had to be out of reach, which meant Torchwood was on its own.

"Lovely," Martha grumbled, turning back around toward her team. Yes, her team. Jack had been right about one thing, whether or not she worked for U.N.I.T., after everything they'd been through together, the two of them were partners. Especially now that it looked like they'd be facing Harold Saxon again.

Presently, Jack, Gwen, Ianto, and Rhys were standing together in a bit of a huddle, still theorizing, still brainstorming, no doubt at a loss without Tosh and Owen, especially since Jack hadn't jumped at the opportunity to brief them on the matter of Saxon's resurgence. Martha wondered about that. How much did the team know about the year that never was? Officially, Saxon was an assassin. He killed the president of the United States. But did they know he was also an alien? Did they know he was every bit as evil as the Doctor was good? Had Jack explained it to them? And if not, should Martha fill them in herself? What was she supposed to say?

Gwen finally noticed her and the change in her expression alerted the men to Martha's proximity. They all turned to regard her, none more closely than Jack himself. Martha stared at him pointedly, revealing her phone. After glimpsing it, Jack's visage grew hopeful, but only until Martha shook her head. The message sent between them was clear. They could not rely on the Doctor's timely arrival.

Sighing, Jack bowed his head. Gwen and Ianto immediately tensed, awaiting the inevitable bad news and rapid commands that always followed their captain's swift and silent deliberations. When he looked back up again, it was time for business. "Ianto, I want you to contact Torchwood Two, the Glasgow branch. Do not tell them your name, do not tell them your location, and do not mention the Rift. If anything claim you are part of Torchwood Four." Torchwood Four, Martha knew, had been missing for years. Such a claim would surely warrant Glasgow's attention. "Find out everything you can about what's been going on over the past three years. I want to know whether or not U.N.I.T.'s been compromised."

"You think it's been compromised?" Martha asked a bit more brusquely than she'd intended, but when Jack glanced at her she knew she got her point across. Harold Saxon was U.N.I.T.'s chief scientific consultant; of course it had been compromised! The real question was why didn't Jack inform the others of that very important detail? But instead of answering, Jack held up a hand and looked back at Ianto.

"Be careful," he said. "Don't leave London and don't trust anyone. Assume the worst of every situation and check in with me every half hour, understand?"

"Completely," Ianto replied before setting off toward the city. He was loyal, everyone knew that, but until now Martha hadn't realized the blind faith and obedience Ianto gave to Jack. Kind of like the blind faith and obedience she gave to the Doctor. But then again, the Doctor didn't treat her like she was on a need-to-know basis.

Setting her jaw, Martha started after Ianto, but only until Jack grabbed her arm. Pushing him off, she stopped and called after the man, "Don't accept free trials for any kind of network!" She wanted to specify both the Archangel Network and this Cybus Network, whatever the hell that was, but Jack had grabbed her again and forced her around to face him.

"Martha, just hang on a minute!" Holding her in place, Jack focused on Gwen and Rhys. "The same rules apply to both of you. Gwen, this is not your jurisdiction, stay away from the police. But I need you to investigate the networks, like Martha said. Networks can be dangerous. See if you can detect any suspicious signals, codes, wave lengths, frequencies, even catchy rhythms that are being emitted out into the general public."

Gwen looked confused. "Is that going to help us get back home?"

"Just do as I say," Jack barked, holding a finger up at Rhys before he had a chance to protest. "And don't even think about arguing. You're not a part of Torchwood, but if you want to get back home, you're going to have to accept the proper chain of command, which puts Martha and myself at the top." Martha suppressed the urge to scoff; she hardly felt like she was at the top of anything the way Jack was treating her.

Rhys had obviously reached the same conclusion. "Her?" He pointed at Martha derisively. "Bullocks. You won't even let her get a word in edgewise and you expect me to believe she outranks the rest of us?"

"Martha Jones is Torchwood's liaison to the Unified Intelligence Taskforce," Jack stated coldly, glaring at Rhys with substantial disgust. "Now stop wasting time and assist your wife. This is how we play the game, Rhys, and you will follow the rules. Gwen!"

"Yes, Jack?" she said, attentive and understandably flustered. If Jack had spoken to Tom like that, Martha would have slapped him across the face. She was somewhat surprised Gwen didn't, but then again, Gwen had been playing by Torchwood's rules a lot longer than she had. Maybe she had grown accustomed to the domineering side of Jack that Martha was just starting to get acquainted with. If only the Doctor was there… Somehow hekept Jack open and amiable, even in a crisis.

"One last thing," Jack said. "While we're on the subject. Your orders come from me, Martha, and Ianto if you're willing to take his requests. Disregard all other commands and don't chase after any leads whether they come from another branch of Torchwood, U.N.I.T., or even the queen of England without consulting me first." At least Martha understood that demand. The last thing they needed was Saxon sending them out on another wild goose-chase to the Himalayas.

"Understood," Gwen said, grabbing Rhys' hand. She whipped around and started toward the city after Ianto, pulling her husband along beside her. Rhys chanced a look back at Martha and Jack, loathing evident on each and every one of his features and Martha wondered if she should tell the captain that the kind manager of Harwood's Haulage had been one of the first to believe in her, one of the first to help smuggle her past Toclafane defenses during that long, agonizing year that never was.

"What's wrong?" Martha asked, looking at Jack somewhat resentfully. "Did he actually mind when you came onto him? Is that why you treat him like he's rubbish?"

"Martha!" Jack glared at her warningly, but she didn't flinch or even blink. There they were, the only two 'mates who knew what they were up against and they were at odds with each other. Wasn't that just brilliant? "We're dealing with a psychopath who just so happens to be smarter than everyone on my team combined and we have no Doctor to work out a solution. I'm not ready for that and I'm not about to expose Gwen, Ianto, and Rhys to it until I can ensure their safety."

He was just trying to get them out of the way. He still needed their help and he did intend to use it, but he had cleverly sent them out of the immediate line of fire. While they were off gathering information, Martha realized Jack planned on going straight to the heart of the matter. Alone. "You know, I could understand it if you were trying to protect them because you still blame yourself for losing Tosh and Owen, but this is bigger than that. When we were with the Doctor facing Saxon for the first time, you counted on their help, at least until we discovered they weren't in the country. But when the clock turned back, you never told them a thing, did you? Once the Doctor saved the day and Saxon was killed, you kept it all from them. And now when we need their help more than ever, you're still withholding that information. What happened, Jack?"

He stared at her miserably, but she didn't regret asking. She had to know. And eventually he spoke. "You were lucky, Martha. You weren't one of the ones who spent three hundred and sixty five days onboard the Valiant. You didn't get to know Saxon the way the rest of us did." Martha averted her eyes, trying not to imagine what Saxon had put them through even as she began to understand why Jack no longer wanted his friends rushing headfirst into battle against the sadistic Time Lord. Jack nodded. "If I get my way, my team and their loved ones will never hear the name Saxon spoken aloud again."

"What we should really do," Martha said, abruptly changing the subject, no doubt to Jack's relief. "Is forget about trying to take down Saxon here and focus on getting back to our proper place in time. Now that we know he's coming back, we can take preemptive measures to stop him. I mean, time is in a flux, isn't it? The Doctor told me. We can stop all this from happening."

"In theory," Jack agreed. "Of course the Doctor might disapprove, but then again he's not exactly here right now, is he?" Martha shrugged, accepting his somewhat juvenile justification at least for the moment. And so he went on. "The real problem with your theory, Martha, is the Rift. The way it opened, the way it pulled us in, and it was very specific about pulling _us_ in rather than some other random bystanders, and the way it deposited us in London, not Cardiff, London, tells me this wasn't an accident. Someone brought us here, someone with advanced technology and a proper understanding of the Rift."

"You think it was Saxon?" Martha asked apprehensively.

Jack smiled and shook his head. "That's just the thing. I don't think it was Saxon. Otherwise he'd be here with the welcome wagon and look around. There's no one." Martha couldn't help it; she breathed a sigh of relief. After all, if Saxon had planned this then they'd be in real trouble. "However," Jack said. "If we want to find out who _does_ have the knowledge and resources to bring us here, what better way than to get closer to Saxon and find out who he's scared of?"

Martha felt winded and she wasn't even budging. "The Doctor was right, Jack. You really are impossible."

He winked. "And I've got the moves to prove it."

**ooooooo**

The zeppelin had been destroyed and everyone on it killed but for the one girl. Now she lay in the midst of the rubble in a field outside some nameless village the Master couldn't care less about. She was unconscious, her powers dormant but always near the surface. He must revitalize the Hadron Web, strengthen it, and snare her again before she awoke or else she'd be unstoppable. The universe could not afford Bad Wolf to gain her freedom. She would engulf everything in her fury, she would rip apart the fabric of time and space, obliterating the whole of creation and even the Master knew better than to allow that.

Oh, how he loved her though. She was the most powerful, most dangerous creature to have ever emerged in this world or any other, the closest thing to a goddess anyone could ever become, and he was keeping her as a pet! It was a thrill, the greatest risk he had ever taken, and the most exhilarating experience anyone could imagine. He had thought subduing the Doctor and conquering Gallifrey had been the high of his career, but he had been mistaken. Discovering Rose Tyler, discovering what she had once become, forcing her to become it again, and holding her captive, using her as both an energy source and a toy, pleased him beyond all measure.

He would keep her. He would keep her until she destroyed everything. Once upon a time, he'd been terrified by the thought of death, but now that he had experienced this he couldn't bear going on without her. She had the Time Vortex swirling through her head, she was burning, she was perfection, she was his. His. Losing her… being forced back to a life of dull and wearisome monotony… why… that would be as bad as existing solely on a linear time line. Probably even worse! He would not allow it. She would stay with him forever, until the end of time, until _she _ended time. That was ecstasy and the only acceptable means of dying. He would go out in an inferno of omnipotence, taking everything, absolutely everything with him. But not yet.

"Oh, Rose Tyler," he said, kneeling down beside her and gently lifting her off the ground. "How close you came this time. You bought yourself twenty-four hours of freedom, but it cost you dozens of human lives. And now I've found you again. Oh, you precious girl, how will you live with yourself?" Holding her in his arms, he turned toward the grandfather clock, the only other object to have survived the explosion. His TARDIS. He carried her inside and moments later it dematerialized.

**ooooooo**

Please review! Cheers!


	3. Or a Parallel World?

**A/N: **Thanks for the reviews! Allons-y!

**ooooooo**

Contact Torchwood Two, find out everything he could about the past three years and determine whether or not U.N.I.T. had been compromised without giving away his identity or location to whatever bad guys might be looming in the shadows. Right then. Easy enough. Oh wait, no it wasn't! Because he was in London. Not Cardiff where he had a secret base and high-tech resources with which he could properly instigate such an investigation, but London. London! He didn't even know who Jack thought might be compromising U.N.I.T., why Jack had such suspicions, or how it was even relevant to the Rift and their jaunt through time.

He knew what Owen would say. Typical Jack and his bloody secrets. He would probably accuse their fine captain of somehow arranging all this for his own hidden agendas whatever they might be, and Tosh, rational as ever, would point out that Jack had more respect for the proper time line. If he did have some sort of plan for the future, she would say, then he wouldn't just hop forward three years to fulfill them, he would wait patiently and maintain his grasp on Earth's ever changing predicaments. Owen would nevertheless gripe and complain, Gwen would either agree or tell him to stuff it depending on her mood, and Ianto would be left making some gracious remark they could all agree with, like, "At least from now on when asked where we see ourselves three years from now, we can honestly say 'still working for Jack.' And who else would you rather be working for?" Wasn't that the truth.

Sitting in the back seat of a cab wiping sweat from his brow, Ianto craved the camaraderie his team once shared. Yes, for the most part it resembled hostility, often the result of an increasingly demanding and life threatening workload, the pressure of which could break a person, but not any of them. They were at their best together. Well… Ianto couldn't deny they had an… unattractive track record… but over the past few weeks they had been growing closer and stronger and better than before… hadn't they? It was interesting how when people died, their loved ones chose to elevate them, remembering only their strengths and never their faults. At that moment, Ianto hardly cared whether or not working alongside Gwen, Owen, and Tosh meant inevitable discord. They were part of his team and they had learned to function together despite their weaknesses. Owen and Tosh… He missed them. He wanted them back. Even if only for one last quarrel, he wanted them back.

The cab pulled up outside the Lux Library, allegedly the largest library in London, though until the driver brought it up, Ianto had never heard of it. He had decided the easiest way to go about researching recent alien activity without drawing attention to himself was to start in a library, the way kids do in children's films. But this wasn't one of those quaint small-town libraries teachers loved so much; it wasn't even a private university's. Seven stories tall, it was big, open to the public, state of the art, and quite impressive just to look at. Ianto had asked the cab driver for a library and _this _was a library.

"Whatever you're studying," the driver said, twisting 'round to regard Ianto proudly. "The Lux Library will have bucket loads of information just waiting at your disposal. Now if you would be so kind, sir, fork over sixty bucks." His tone switched from pride to condescension to plain old greed faster than Ianto could snap his fingers. Sixty bucks? Bucks?

Ianto shook his head, bewildered. "You mean sixty dollars? American currency?" When did that happen? It had only been three years. The UK was still resisting the transition to the bloody euro. Suddenly it didn't feel like he had stepped forward in time so much as into the Twilight Zone. And to complicate the matter, his driver was staring at him as if he'd lost his mind. Ianto flushed. "Sorry, I'm from Cardiff. I can give you forty pounds." It was a good tip. Ianto prayed he'd take it.

"What the hell's a pound?"

Or not. Ianto forced a grin. "You wouldn't happen to take Visa or MasterCard?"

**ooooooo**

Something weird was going on, aside from the fact they'd been hurtled three years into the future where zeppelins filled the sky and U.N.I.T. could not be trusted. This place, it was… wrong, just wrong. Advertisements on billboards were asking for dollars of all things even as they moved around and spoke like ads on the telly. Many of them were promoting merchandise from the _New_ Cybus Industries, run by Pete Tyler who the public could always 'trust.'

"Trust me on this. Trust me on this. Trust me on this." It was everywhere! Jack had asked for suspicious signals, codes, wave lengths, frequencies, and catchy rhythms that someone might be emitting out into the general public and by god if Gwen heard the phrase "Trust me on this" one more time she was going to report it.

But that wasn't the end of it. An election was approaching and the candidates were campaigning for presidency. Apparently they weren't standing in the United Kingdom anymore, but the People's Republic. Honestly, it sounded like a dictatorship to Gwen. Stranger still, when she and Rhys walked past a bookstore, the number one bestseller seen through the window was the biography of a John Lumic, entitled _Lord of the Cybermen_. On the cover was the unmistakable image of an "upgraded" human. Rhys swore at the sight of it and Gwen closed her eyes, automatically picturing Lisa Hallett and a devastated Ianto. Who the hell was John Lumic, what was his relationship to the Cybermen, and why would Torchwood allow this book that could only blight the Institute's reputation to be published? And more importantly, what had happened in the past three years that resulted with the Cybermen fiasco resurfacing? Back in 2008, the world had been perfectly content forgetting everything they knew about that one horrific day. What changed?

"You think we should buy a copy?"

Gwen almost laughed, though she was anything but amused. "Look around, Rhys. Last I checked we weren't exactly swimming in American money." Of course she would love a copy. The information contained in that book could well be imperative… or it could be a complete waste of time written by some daft conspiracy theorist who had no life, but at least then it'd be a real laugh. Either way, she couldn't afford it and didn't have time to steal it. For now she would have to pack it away at the back of her mind and wait for it to come out once she and the others were returned to their rightful place in time. "Come on. There has to be a control tower or something." She turned away from the bookstore and continued at a brisk pace down the congested street. Rhys tore after her.

"Control tower?"

"For the zeppelins," Gwen said. "Jack wants me investigating suspicious signals broadcast to the public by networks no doubt hoping to influence people. Well, let me ask you something, Rhys. We get thrown forward in time to a place where hundreds of zeppelins are hovering in the sky and Jack's suddenly worried about mass mind control. He wasn't worried about mind control before. So what's different about London now? What has the scope, the breadth, the capability of reaching everyone to accomplish something like that?"

"Zeppelins," Rhys wisely agreed. They stopped at a traffic light alongside dozens of other pedestrians and waited for the signal to turn. Neither of them spoke while they were standing amongst countless potential eavesdroppers, but once they started forward again, Rhys frowned in concern. "So instead of researching the wide array of prospective networks and determining what we're really up against, you plan on charging headfirst into a control tower to destroy the signal regardless of its message, just as long as it looks dangerous, because let's forget about naming our enemies, we know where the signal's coming from, we can skip steps one, two, and three and go straight for the kill."

"You think I'm getting ahead of myself," Gwen noted. It was true. Jack wanted her detecting the signal and determining which network it belonged to. He never said anything about taking out the signal's transmitter. It was a testament to Rhys' love for her that he knew what she was planning before she revealed it to him. He knew her. He got that she had no intention of wasting time beating around the bush when she already knew, or at least suspected, where the trouble was and felt confident enough, or reckless enough, to sort it out herself. "Let me tell you something, Rhys. The whole research thing… that's not my job. It's Ianto's."

"The hell it is," Rhys objected, his concern mounting into alarm. "You're with the police, Gwen. Research, investigation, all that's in your job description. And I thought they trained you not to behave rashly. You want to go in there without so much as backup? Whatever happened to Torchwood being a team?"

A team? Torchwood wasn't a team! Not anymore. Teams needed more than three players as well as an assortment of positions, the captain, the technician, the medic, the researcher, the field agent, if that's even what Gwen was. Granted, they had their captain and researcher, but without Tosh and Owen, without the technician and medic, what did that make them? Captain, co-captain, and the office boy? Two soldiers and a cadet? How effective could they possibly be? Torchwood was supposed to function like a well-oiled machine; they all had their parts to play and they went about playing them perfectly. But without Tosh and Owen, that machine was no longer operational. The rules had to change and Gwen was going to prove she could manage it, prove she could keep up with Jack, because she _had _to keep up with Jack.

_"Now we carry on."_

_"I don't think I can, not after this."_

_"You can. We all can. The end is where we start from."_

She had to carry on. She had to figure out how. She couldn't let Jack down, she couldn't give up now that Owen and Tosh were gone. She had to be strong, stronger than before, capable of accomplishing every task with or without assistance. It was the only way she knew how to cope.

**ooooooo**

Now this was more like it. The Lux Library had an entire floor devoted to cutting edge technology, one of the most expansive computer laboratories available to the public and all Ianto had to do to earn himself a back room with extra resources was pretend to be a fledgling historian hoping to make a name for himself by writing a book on England in the new century. Abigail Lux, the librarian assisting him and daughter of the famous scholar who owned the place, seemed delighted by his "project" and promised to grant him access to any information he might need, including whatever she could scrounge up in the rare items collection. After assuring her that that wouldn't be necessary, Ianto opened the news archive and began scanning headlines from over the past ten years.

Shockingly, according to the archive Great Britain had been known to the world as the People's Republic for far longer than two or three years. In 1993, John Lumic founded Cybus Industries, which promptly became the world's most successful business. Lumic invented high-content metal and the popular ear-pods that downloaded information directly into the brain. By 2005 Cybus Industries had more influence than the president himself. In 2006, critics began questioning Lumic's sanity and that was when the real crisis began. Lumic discovered how to "sustain the brain indefinitely within a cradle of copyrighted chemicals… Advances in synapse research allowed cyber-kinetic impulses to bond onto a metal exoskeleton." He called it the ultimate upgrade. There was a picture…

Ianto fell back in his chair, aghast. It was a Cyberman.

On the first of February, 2006, John Lumic compelled a number of his creations, homeless men and women picked up off the streets and mercilessly experimented on, to crash Jacqueline Tyler's birthday party and assassinate the president. He then proceeded to transmit a signal via the Cybus Network that took control of everyone wearing an ear-pod. The victims were marched to Battersea where Lumic began the massive upgrading process. London was sealed off and placed under martial law. However, hope still remained. Angela Price, a woman who in 1995 faked her own death to escape Cybus Industries, had been resisting Lumic for years. With the aid of an inside source known as Gemini, later revealed to be Pete Tyler, who fed her Lumic's private files over an encrypted wavelength, Price managed to ascertain the proper cancellation code behind the Cybermen's emotional inhibitor. Lumic, along with the London Cybermen, was destroyed, but his legacy remained.

Factories on seven continents remained. A debate sprung up over what should be done with the Cybermen. Angela Price had been killed in the battle at Battersea, making Pete Tyler the world's leading expert and an international hero, but despite his warnings, men and women everywhere began arguing that Cybermen were living beings and according to the Bio-convention deserved certain rights.

Ianto flinched and almost called Jack. Cybermen had rights too… they should have been helped… they should have… Lisa…

Nearly six years had past since the last Cyberman was spotted. Their disappearance remained a mystery, though it was rumored that the sudden unexpected and inexplicable heat waves and global flooding could be attributed to Cybermen activities. In 2009, Pete Tyler publically announced his expectations of reversing the environmental anomalies via the efforts of an institute he called Torchwood. Initially a research and development facility, Torchwood had since grown into the world's foremost environmental protection agency.

Yes, of course, Ianto thought bitterly. An environmental protection agency. He'd have to remember that the next time Torchwood needed a cover story.

It was now 2011. In recent news, Torchwood had been criticized for failing to stop the global warming and colossal flooding. Meanwhile, Pete Tyler had begun revitalizing Cybus Industries, assuring the public that the mistakes of the past would not be repeated. Instead, humanity must learn and continue to grow in order to progress. "John Lumic instilled a fear within us that the next step in our evolution could only be the infamous ultimate upgrade. This, however, is a lie. As a race, we still have vast and immeasurable streams of potential left to explore and navigate. We will step into the future and prove to whatever extraterrestrials might be watching that we are advancing; that we are a strong, competent, and united race; human, good, and bloody brilliant. Trust me on this."

Ianto immediately searched for information regarding the extraterrestrials Pete Tyler had mentioned and sure enough Earth had apparently made contact with at least seven different alien species. In fact, Tyler had recovered an unidentified engine from the North Sea and with President Harriet Jones' endorsement was now attempting to backwards engineer it. What did he think he was doing, trying to build a spaceship?

Noting the time, Ianto blocked out every frightening image he had of the malevolent Cybus ear-pods while contacting Jack for his next scheduled check-in.

"Ianto!" the captain sounded positively elated to hear from him again. "Tell me you've had better luck since Retconning that poor taxi driver over what was it again? A credit card transaction?"

"Jack, I don't think we've just traveled into the future," Ianto said, ignoring the playful taunt he could already hear mocking him for the rest of his life. "I've done some research and everything's different. History's changed completely. I think you might have been right when you said this was another world. I think it's a parallel world." A parallel world where the Cybermen were created before disappearing through the Rift into Ianto's world. The two were connected, which might explain why the team had ended up here when the Rift opened and sucked them in. It almost made sense, but why had it happened? Why them? Why now?

"A parallel world," Jack considered that for a moment. "That's actually quite helpful. Thank you, Ianto. Now what can you tell me about U.N.I.T.?"

"Not much," Ianto said, scrolling through the archive's headlines. "There's nothing mentioned in the news. I'll have to do a bit more digging." More like hacking. "But Jack… a parallel world!" He tried stressing why that one small detail was so crucial. He tried putting into words the gravity of their situation, the implications, the possibilities. Jack had to understand… he had to realize…

"Ianto, I want you to concentrate on U.N.I.T.," Jack said forcefully and Ianto had no trouble recognizing his tone. It was authoritative; Ianto didn't have to explain anything. Jack already knew exactly how he felt and meant to protect him. "Parallel worlds are tricky. At first glance they can be oh, so very seductive, but at the end of the day they always turn out terrifying. Always, Ianto. Concentrate on U.N.I.T. The sooner we get back home, the better, understand?"

"This is where they came from," Ianto whispered, his imagination suddenly running, suddenly carried away by an infinite number of viable outcomes to his life, to Jack's life, to Lisa's… "The Cybermen, they were created here, Jack. Cybus Industries, John Lumic, this is where it started. Somehow they crossed the Rift into our world, and now we've crossed the Rift into theirs. It wasn't Torchwood, Jack, it was Cybus Industries. Lisa could still be alive."

"Damn it, Ianto! Listen to me! This isn't our world. Even if Lisa is alive, she's probably with an alternate version of yourself if not someone else entirely. You can't just waltz right up to her and expect to start some brand new wonderful life with her at your side. It doesn't work that way."

Jack was right. He was always right. An expert you might say, especially when it came to Rift activity, a category this whole affair definitely fell under. And yet Ianto hesitated. Lisa… She was the first person he ever really loved. After the battle at Canary Wharf, he had given up his own personal life to care for her, he had begged, stalked, and faced a pterodactyl to get into Torchwood Three for her, he had allowed innocent people to die for her, he had risked the lives of his own teammates for her, he had nearly destroyed the world not once but _twice_ for her, because as a Cyberman she was programmed to upgrade the rest of the population and he was too blind to see it, and then because he was daft enough to believe it was actually her asking him to open the Rift. He could barely remember a time when the two of them had been happy together; his memories had been infested and degraded by the horrors of their farewell.

"I don't want to start a new life with her Jack," Ianto heard himself confess. "But if I could just see her… I'd finally have a clear image of her, untarnished, the way she's supposed to be… Something I could hold onto for the rest of my life. It would be enough."

"You're wrong about that," Jack vehemently maintained. "It's never enough, Ianto. Don't even think about it or it'll drive you mad. Trust me. The woman you fell in love with is dead. She isn't here. If there is a Lisa Hallett in this world, she's not yours. She'd probably even be different somehow, different in a way that'll agonize you, make you want to scream."

"I already want to scream," Ianto whispered, coming to an abrupt decision. Moving quickly, jaggedly, he set about logging off the computer. "But it's not just Lisa, Jack. Think about it. Owen and Tosh… _They _could still be alive!" He wanted so badly to see them again, to know that somewhere in this hateful universe there was at least the chance of finding happiness, whether it was in one world or another. If he could just find proof that good and evil were truly balanced and that the pain he endured everyday was matched by the joy some other Ianto Jones had the good fortune to experience, he could finally make sense of it all. He could finally believe the universe had meaning. He wanted to believe… the way Jack believed in his Doctor.

"IANTO!"

"I'm sorry, Jack," Ianto said and he truly was. "But this might be the only chance I'll ever have."

**ooooooo**

"Damn it!" Jack stormed around in a large circle, running a hand through his hair, half tempted to knock over a trash bin but less than eager to draw even more attention to himself. Already people were edging around him, alarmed by his behavior and wary of his actions as they hastened on their way. Only Martha stood faithfully by him, scared though she was. He glared at her in exasperation. "What is it with you people? Can't you ever just listen to reason?"

Martha hesitated and then chanced a smile. "You know what the Doctor says about reason? Overrated. He likes us better when we're human."

Jack sneered. "Yeah, but only when you're not screwing yourselves over." That was the thing with the Doctor. He had a charisma that gave most humans grace, confidence, and assurance. They listened to him, they obeyed him, and with him at the helm, everything always turned out the way it should. The Doctor brought out the best in people, he really did. He saw their promise, their potential, and he helped them grow, shine, and aspire. Was it any wonder he loved humanity when he always got to see them surpassing insurmountable odds and accomplishing spectacular feats? The Doctor knew what he was doing. Jack, on the other hand, always seemed to fail at that. He couldn't show his friends, his _family_, the wonders of the universe because he was only able to show them what fell through the Rift. He couldn't inspire them and he couldn't protect them from the misery that, like a curse, followed him wherever he went. Compared to the Doctor, Jack felt inadequate. Like a joke. He loved Gwen and Ianto. So why wouldn't they listen when he warned them of the dangers? It was so damn frustrating!

"Jack!" Gwen was calling. Her voice had an edge to it that troubled the captain. "Jack, is it true? Are we on a parallel world?" She must have heard everything.

Jack caught his breath and deliberately reminded himself to choose his next words carefully. Ah, hell with it. "You've been awfully quiet, Gwen. Were you eavesdropping or taking notes?"

"As a matter of fact, Jack, I was trying to share my earpiece with Rhys. He wanted to hear what Ianto had dug up as well and since I don't have your practice at sharing small devices with the man I'm shagging, I found it rather difficult." Jack couldn't help but grin. Her indignation was priceless in any situation and on some small level it almost brought him relief. "Now answer the question!"

"All right!" Jack shouted back at her. "Yes, I'm fairly certain it's a parallel world and yes, it would be unwise to start gallivanting around the country just to see how different our lives could be!"

"But Tosh and Owen-!"

"We don't know them," Jack insisted. "They don't know us. This doesn't change anything, Gwen, you have to understand that." He should never have sent them out by themselves. They were like unruly children always in need of his supervision.

"Jack…"

He turned toward Martha sharply, groaning when he saw the uncertainty on her face. "What, you too?" Martha should have been the smart one. He counted on her when he could count on no one else, because she had traveled with the Doctor and somehow that meant she should know better. Or maybe he was being unfair. After all, parallel worlds really were seductive. Very, very seductive.

But Martha shook her head. "It's not what you think, Jack. I don't want to see my family. I love them just the way they are. The thing is…" She stared at him deeply, her eyes wide, her lips slightly parted as she faltered. She was torn, Jack realized. Reluctant to say a word and that perplexed him. Even with Gwen demanding his attention, he waited for Martha to steel herself, he waited for her to speak her mind because he sensed it was important to her. He just wasn't ready for its importance to him. "Jack," she whispered. "I know there's probably millions of parallel worlds out there. What are the chances this is the one where the Doctor lost Rose?"

**ooooooo**

Please review! Cheers!


	4. The Moonlight Serenade

**A/N: **Allons-y!

**ooooooo**

_She's not your daughter._

_Trust me on this._

_You work for Cybus Industries now. You have the support of Harriet Jones and all of U.N.I.T. Don't throw that away._

_Trust me on this._

_Think of Jackie._

_No. Jackie's dead. Your Jackie is dead. She isn't her. Trust me on this, trust me on this, trust me on this!_

Pete Tyler stood in Harold Saxon's expansive laboratory at the New Cybus Industries HQ, stationed in London. What with the Valiant's recent demise, due to unknown, but unnatural causes, U.N.I.T.'s chief scientific consultant had nowhere else to bring his somewhat frightening pet project, much to Pete's consternation. Sometimes he thought Saxon enjoyed tormenting him, though reason assured him that wasn't the case. Pete was nothing if not reasonable. U.N.I.T. was struggling to maintain its allegiances with nine different alien species, only seven of whom were known to the public, and funds were running low. Funds were running low everywhere. The People's Republic's Golden Age was coming to an end and only the New Cybus Industries had the assets necessary for Saxon to run his experiments.

_This is wrong!_ They needed Rose Tyler. She was the one responsible for aligning their planet with those of countless extraterrestrials. She was good at her job. Historically, the nations of Earth had been notorious for expanding their borders by way of invasion, but Rose changed all that. She became more than just the defender of the Earth, she became Earth's ambassador. She was admired and respected by aliens all across the galaxy. Was it any wonder U.N.I.T. couldn't maintain those allegiances without her? If word got out about this, about the way they were treating her, Earth would be scorned and despised as the home of monsters. First the Cybermen. Now this atrocity.

Harold Saxon had upgraded his Hadron Web. The power lines literally tore through Rose's arms, legs, and waist, like steel javelins each impaling her at a different angle. If it weren't for the Vortex, she would surely be dead. As it was, Pete knew she was in extreme pain. This was torture. He was witnessing torture. How could he face Jackie? Jackie, who honestly believed her eldest child was off on another planet negotiating with some benevolent race, finally recovering from Canary Wharf? How could he look at her?

Harold Saxon was insane. A Time Lord like the Doctor, yes, but pure evil. He was worse than John Lumic. Pete told himself to fight, told himself to be the hero everyone thought he was, the man they could trust, the man who had saved them, the man who could easily save them again. Fight for Jackie. Fight for Rose. Fight for little Tony. He shouldn't have to grow up with a rubbish father, one capable of standing by while Rose Tyler was turned into a science project. Pete had taken her in as his own and now he had betrayed her. What if they were exposed? What if Tony had to grow up knowing his father was the villain? He couldn't do that to him. He had to get out now, he had to stop Saxon, he had to save Rose!

But he did not. He stood and watched as Saxon hooked the Hadron Web up to that mysterious grandfather clock. Rose, radiating with golden light, barely conscious, began choking as the energy coursed out of her through the power lines into the clock. Seconds later, the energy returned from the clock through the power lines and back into her. An endless loop. His work done, Saxon paused to admire her before dancing around her in pure exhilaration. Pete could do nothing. Without the Hadron Web, Rose would die. She had the Time Vortex running through her head, she was literally burning from the inside out, and only the Hadron Web kept her intact. But it was worse than that. Saxon believed Rose would destroy everything if given the chance. She had the power to wipe out existence, to end all of time and space. The Hadron Web inhibited those powers. It was torturing her and when faced with such a crime Pete would normally consider euthanasia, mercy killing, but if he freed her from the web she would erupt. Like Pompeii. She would destroy the universe. Pete only had one choice. Allow this beautiful, magnificent girl, who was _not_ his daughter no matter what anyone said, to suffer or condemn the whole of creation.

Suddenly, Saxon spun toward Pete with that evil, malicious glint in his eyes. For a moment they regarded each other coolly and then the scientist crossed the distance separating them. "I must thank you for welcoming me back, Mr. Tyler. U.N.I.T.'s facilities have been seriously lacking as of late and without the Valiant, well… I trust you understand my predicament." Pete didn't bother answering. He wasn't as gracious as he once was, nor did he have the stomach for diplomacy anymore, especially with monsters. Besides, Saxon wasn't aiming for a conventional conversation. He just liked to hear himself talk.

"Jack…"

Rose was speaking – her hauntingly beautiful dual voice resonated through the lab. Everyone froze, both Pete and Saxon as well as all the other scientists in the vicinity. Slowly, they all turned to study the girl. Her eyes were open, more luminous than ever, though somehow distant as if she wasn't aware of her immediate surroundings, but gazing into time itself.

Moving simultaneously, as if they were in sync, Pete and Saxon approached the Hadron Web and its captive. Upon reaching her, Pete suggested, "Jackie? Do you mean Jackie? Are you asking about your mother?"

"Jack," Rose said. She didn't move or blink; she stared into the distance, her eyes scorching like starlight, but nevertheless cold. "Listen to me, Jack. Find me. I can't let go, Jack, not of this. It's the Blitz all over again. I need your help. Catch me. Please catch me."

Rose never spoke in sentences, at least not coherent ones. The other scientists began scrambling to take note of this unprecedented advancement while Pete and Saxon continued staring at her in shock. What was she on about? Who was Jack? What did the Blitz have to do with anything? And why, why, why, why did it sound like she was calling out for help when after all this time she knew perfectly well that help would never come? It was too late for that and she had never asked for it before.

Saxon ran a hand through his hair, suddenly agitated. "Oh, she _is _clever. She didn't just destroy my zeppelin for the hell of it, to show off her defiance, oh no. No. No, no, no." He started pacing and Pete took a step back, observing the Time Lord in disgust. "She's trying to summon someone. A wolf howling for her pack. She couldn't do it inside the Hadron Web so she escaped, but only for twenty-four hours. It took up so much strength… No wonder she didn't incite oblivion with her freedom, she would deny me even that." He glanced at Rose almost desperately and Pete wanted to vomit. "Do you hate me so much, Bad Wolf? That you won't even humor me by ending it all, by finishing time itself in my name? Do you actually think you can contain your fury? That this _Jack _will make a difference? Well I don't think so. Mark my words, I will hunt him down and snuff the life out of him before he has the chance to save you."

Rose didn't answer. She gave no reaction to Saxon's words, as if she hadn't heard.

Saxon whipped around and glared at Pete. His eyes were wide, deep, and black, like an abyss, like the void itself. Hell, it was called. Pete tried looking away, but it was too late. They stared at each other, gazed into each other, until Pete was helpless and vulnerable.

"I am the Master," Saxon said coarsely, to which Pete nodded his agreement. "You will track down Mickey Smith. You will make him divulge how Rose came to be at the London Blitz. Find out who she was with. Who is this noble Jack? Bring his lifeless corpse to me. Pete Tyler… Trust me on this."

_Trust me on this…_

**ooooooo**

"Jack, wait!" Racing after the captain was by far easier said than done. Martha wasn't exactly good at dodging traffic, not like he was, so there were several instances when she almost lost him. But that's how it worked, wasn't it? Mention Rose Tyler and everyone takes off like the world's gonna end, leaving her behind. This would change everything. It wasn't that Martha still loved the Doctor or that she resented Rose, because she didn't. She loved Tom, she had a good job at U.N.I.T., not to mention the best life anyone could ever ask for. But even so, Rose still intimidated her. Martha didn't even know what her predecessor looked like other than the fact she was blonde, but she must have been perfect. No one could compare with the perfect Rose Tyler. At first Martha hadn't wanted to suggest it, because it really would change everything. Just because she didn't love the Doctor didn't mean she wanted to be forgotten. What if… with Rose back… everyone forgot her? Would it be like this, running after Jack, begging him to wait for her, only to be ignored?

"Ianto said the Cybermen came from here!" Jack shouted as he ran, every once in awhile glancing back at Martha, but never slowing down, not even for a second. "He said the Cybermen crossed the Rift into our world and now we've crossed the Rift into theirs. Do you know what that means, Martha? It means you're right! This is the world the Doctor saved along with ours! This is where Rose has been living for the past two years!" If they hadn't been sprinting down the sidewalk faster than their legs could reasonably carry them, Martha would have expected Jack to do a little dance of delight. It was all she could do not to roll her eyes. Sometimes Jack's excitement just wasn't contagious.

They past over a bridge that led from a small playground to a row of flats. How long had they been running? Fifteen minutes? Twenty? Martha was getting out of shape. Back during the year that never was, she had easily been able to run for hours at a time. That's how she had gotten out of Tokyo. But now she could barely keep up with Jack. "You know it's a bit ridiculous how you forbad the others from taking advantage of this world only so you could go and do the same thing yourself!" She didn't need him to remind her that Rose didn't belong in a parallel world. She belonged in theirs. Still, to anyone else it would look hypocritical. "How do you plan on explaining that, Jack?"

Jack expertly evaded the question. "There's no way Rose has been settling into a new life in this world without the Doctor. I can guarantee you she's been searching for a means to get home. If she's figured out the Rift, she could have opened it, brought us here, and now all we have to do is find her and help her get us back. All of us. It makes sense! We might not even have to worry about Saxon."

"Of course we have to worry about Saxon," Martha objected, pushing herself forward until she was finally at Jack's side. She couldn't believe this. She didn't even want to consider it. "What, you're gonna just leave this world to deal with him on its own? U.N.I.T.'s been compromised, the Doctor's nowhere to be found, and everyone else would never consider him a threat, at least not until it's too late, and you know that. Would you really be able to live with yourself if you abandoned this world to that monster?"

"Not our world," Jack blithely reminded her. "Not our problem."

"You're serious?" Apparently Martha didn't know Jack as well as she had thought. He was just looking for an excuse not to cross paths with the Master again. She would have called it cowardice, but then again fearing the Master was understandable especially considering everything Jack had been through lately. Saxon was dangerous and Jack had already lost two members of his team. Why risk it when it was unnecessary? There were millions of parallel worlds… They couldn't save them all, right? "But what if it's Rose's problem?" Martha persisted. "What if she brought us here to help?"

"Then we can talk," Jack said as they rounded a bend and caught sight of Ianto standing in the street looking forlornly up at a flat. Martha froze, as did the captain, and for a moment neither of them spoke whilst they caught their breaths. Ianto? Martha shook her head, thoroughly confused. Weren't they chasing after Rose? Wasn't all this excitement about Rose? She had thought… if it had been the Doctor, he would have disregarded anything and everything in his haste to reach her. But Jack had gone after Ianto. Despite all the commotion, he hadn't once lost sight of his responsibilities for his team. Martha glanced at him in astonishment, but he was too preoccupied, gazing wholeheartedly at Ianto who hadn't yet noticed their arrival. "This is where he and Lisa used to live," he said. "In our world, I mean. This was their address while they worked for Torchwood One at Canary Wharf."

"But he lives in Cardiff now," Martha said somewhat breathlessly. "How do you know his old London address?" Jack shrugged, choosing not to answer. That was fine. Martha already knew Jack and Ianto "dabbled," but it was anyone's guess how serious their relationship actually was. Rose meant a lot to Jack and so did the Doctor. Meanwhile, Ianto obviously had feelings for this Lisa Hallett woman. But then… Lisa was apparently dead, the Doctor was off traveling the stars with Donna, and Rose had yet to be found. Who else did Jack and Ianto have to turn to? Were they just compensation to each other?

"I was more concerned for Ianto," Jack said, breaking the silence. He still wouldn't look at her, so Martha turned her head. She gazed down the street to where Ianto stood by himself, lost and alone, afraid her eyes were intruding on everyone's privacy, but unable to look anywhere else. Meanwhile, Jack sighed. "That damn year on the Valiant… I was terrified Saxon would show up someday with my team. But then, Torchwood's the best. There's not a cell in existence Tosh can't break out of. Believe me, she learned to specialize in that area. And Owen's a medic, but you know he's a fighter. He's got more balls than you'd ever give him credit for. Saxon would've underestimated him and that would've been a mistake. Gwen, she's tougher than she looks and she has such faith. But Ianto. Losing Lisa broke him, Martha, and he was just starting to heal. He was a wreck and I… I was finally gaining back his trust, helping him find a way to live again when the TARDIS landed on the Rift. I chased after the Doctor without so much as saying goodbye. Saxon conquered the world, the Toclafane killed thousands, and where was I? They needed me, Martha, and I wasn't there for them. I wasn't there for Ianto. I regretted leaving him every second of every day and I prayed that if Saxon got his hands on any of them, it would be one of the others."

Ianto had finally spotted them. Neither Martha nor Jack made any sort of gesture, but after glancing up at the flat one last time, he shuffled towards them anyway. He did look broken, Martha thought, but not irreparably so. She turned to Jack quickly. "Ianto saved my life, did you know that? I met the Torchwood team in Moscow that year, or what was left of it anyway. They were trying to get back from the Himalayas, but things kept getting in their way and they ended up stranded all over the place. Owen was so furious. But Ianto was amazing. Strong. Saxon wouldn't have known what to make of him." Jack finally met her gaze, a tiny smile playing at the corner of his lips.

Ianto reached them and looked at Jack apologetically. "I'm sorry. I tried, but… you're right, I can't go in there. I'd probably just make a mess of things. I…" Tears were in his eyes and he shook his head, staring at the ground.

"Ianto, what happened?" Jack asked. Even Martha could tell there was more to this than Ianto second-guessing himself. She took a deep breath and braced herself for the worst. Ianto was trembling.

"I would have left her, Jack," he said at last. "If she had lived, if she had survived Canary Wharf, I still would have left her for another man. Just now one of her neighbors saw me and said…"

"That's enough," Jack interrupted, grabbing Ianto and holding him tightly. Martha closed her eyes, wishing there was something she could do, something she could say, but look at her, she was useless. The Doctor had taken her everywhere but to a parallel world. It's hard enough handling the heartaches in your own life, how were you supposed to deal with those in someone else's, someone who's exactly like you, who could actually be you? The Doctor had never taught her because this whole situation should have been impossible and now she was plain old useless.

Fortunately, Jack knew better. "The choices we make, the people we become, that's not automatic. It's determined by the experiences we endure day to day. The Torchwood in this reality had nothing to do with Cybus Industries. They weren't involved at the battle of Canary Wharf. So he left her. So what? That doesn't matter. Because after everything you and your Lisa went through together, if she had survived, you would have cherished her forever. And that's the truth, Ianto. I believe that." Ianto nodded into Jack's shoulder.

Then, without warning, all around the three of them there was suddenly music. Old archaic music, refined, suggestive, and nostalgic from out of the thirties or forties. It came from open windows, passing cars, parked cars, even a broken stereo lying in pieces on the curb, and even from Martha's pocket! She pulled out her cell phone. No one had called her, no one had sent her anything, and yet there it was playing the soft, tasteful melody. How? It wasn't possible, well… it couldn't be normal, even in a parallel world. Martha stared at Jack. "What is that?"

"It's Glenn Miller," he replied, easing away from Ianto. Judging by the look on his face, he could have just seen a ghost. Slowly, warily, he turned in a tight circle, as if searching unsuccessfully for the source of the inexplicable song. "It's the Moonlight Serenade. Rose and I danced to this shortly after I met her, on top a space ship tethered to Big Ben. And during a German air raid, no less."

"Who's Rose?" Ianto asked, baffled.

Once again evading the question, Jack took three large steps toward the broken stereo. He looked back at Martha's phone and lastly at the closest vehicle, no less confused than his companions. "If I didn't know better, I'd say she's Om-Comming us, using alien technology to communicate through the speaker grilles. But then why wouldn't she just say something? Why play music? I mean, there's a time and a place for subtlety."

"Maybe she can't," Martha said, taking in the pleasant sound, allowing it to calm her. Now that she thought about it, she _had_ heard this music before, mostly in films. It wasn't contemporary, it wasn't hip-hop, hardly something you'd expect to find at the top of the charts, but it sure was classy. The kind of music that defined its era. Somehow Martha wasn't surprised Rose got to dance to it. "Jack, this could be a message she doesn't want anyone but you understanding. If someone intercepts it, it's just music, but to us it's an identification. Now we know for a fact that it's her. Unless, of course, you believe in coincidences?"

"Not this time," Jack said. "But even if I did, I wouldn't risk it. We're talking about Rose here."

Martha glared at him. Yes, they were talking about Rose bloody Tyler. Way to emphasize the point.

"Who's Rose?" Ianto asked again, a bit more anxiously.

"Finally," Martha grumbled. "A man who _doesn't_ know her name."

Jack ignored them both, taking a few steps back to activate his earpiece. "Gwen. Change of plans. It doesn't look like we're here on accident and now someone needs our help. We can discuss parallel worlds later. For now, meet me by Big Ben." He glanced at Martha sheepishly. "We need to find Rose. And what better place to start looking than at the site where we danced to Glenn Miller?"

**ooooooo**

**A/N: **I know Jack is confessing way more to Martha than he probably would to anyone else, but I figure if he's gonna confess that much to anyone other than the Doctor, it would have to be Martha. No one else. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter enough to send me a review. Cheers!


	5. Mistaken Identities

**A/N: **Thanks for the reviews! Allons-y!

**ooooooo**

By the time Gwen and Rhys arrived at the clock tower where they regrouped with Jack, Martha, and Ianto, it was well after dark. Nevertheless, Westminster remained brilliantly lit and active; residents and tourists alike crowded the streets, grinning from ear to ear, laughing, and even singing in some areas as the zeppelins overhead sparkled like floating red Christmas lights. Excitement buzzed through the air which even now remained as sweltering as in the afternoon; Gwen wondered if the temperature had dropped at all.

"What do you think they're celebrating?" Martha asked, standing slightly apart from the team as Jack handed out weaponry. On the way to central London, he had decided to make a pit stop at an old underground way station for aliens traveling between planets of more sophistication than the backwater Earth. Jack said he had "dealt" with the place back in the sixties, but since he apparently never joined Torchwood in this reality, it was still in operation. Now they were armed with guns, stun guns, sonic blasters, something Jack called a complex laser deluxe which he kept for himself, and a hyperspectral scanner for Martha since she refused to carry anything violent.

Of course, to conceal the weapons Jack was back in his World War II greatcoat while the others wore jackets, all but Martha, which due to the heat was uncomfortable to say the least, but necessary. Personally Gwen preferred having the means of protecting herself should they happen to encounter anything unearthly and marveled at Martha's so-called pacifism. They were in a parallel world, they had come through the Rift, Jack seemed to believe it wasn't an accident, there was someone here they needed to help, and Martha thought she could get by without a weapon. All things considered, she wasn't just being ridiculous, she was being a fool. Even Rhys was arming himself.

"It's a festival," Ianto said in response to Martha's question. "In this reality, Earth has made contact with at least seven different alien species, a fact known to and accepted by the public. For this month only, Westminster is hosting an after dark Starlight Festival to commemorate humanity's movement toward the stars." Ianto gave a little shrug as the team gawked at him speechlessly. "It's sponsored by the New Cybus Industries. It's promotional. After everything John Lumic did, Pete Tyler is putting forth a real effort to earn back the world's trust."

"And how do you know all that?" Rhys demanded, not as accustomed to Ianto's processing skills as the others were. Ianto, however, merely held out a flier he must have picked up off some random street corner. Rhys snatched it and gave it a quick onceover while Gwen struggled not to snort.

Instead, she focused on Jack. "This Pete Tyler… I've heard his name all over the place and Ianto's right, he wants the people's trust. You told me to look for suspicious signals and such, well the most suspicious thing I've heard broadcast to the community so far is that phrase, 'Trust me on this.'" Jack considered her grimly. Whatever he'd been hoping for, that obviously wasn't it. Gwen hesitated to continue, troubled by the captain's attitude. She was used to him hiding things; he always had his own reasons for every action he took and more often than not he chose to withhold those reasons until they were absolutely necessary to divulge. He still hadn't explained why he thought they'd been brought to this world in the first place and although such behavior was unsurprising, Gwen nevertheless found it troublesome. They were in a parallel world! Owen and Tosh… How could some Pete Tyler, a _stranger_, take precedence over the lives of their friends? She missed them so much… Didn't Jack ever miss anyone?

Martha rejoined the group, focusing on the captain. "Pete Tyler is in control of Cybus Industries. Ianto said he's an international hero for helping rid the world of Lumic and the Cybermen. He's got more influence than Harriet Jones. He gets to work hands-on with alien technology. It's not that far of a stretch. What better person for Saxon to manipulate than the man who's gained the world's trust and devotion?" Jack glowered at her, but she returned the look undaunted.

"Saxon?" Gwen asked, incredulous. "You mean the former prime minister who assassinated America's president?" As much as she ridiculed Martha for refusing a gun, she couldn't deny the young doctor was well-informed, more so than the rest of them anyway, not to mention impressive for standing up to Jack Harkness. They shared the same Doctor, whatever that meant. And apparently those who shared Jack's Doctor automatically earned a permanent spot on his good side. Martha knew it, too. Gwen envied her that.

"Harold Saxon," Jack said, refusing to look away from Martha who nodded encouragingly. "In this reality, a lowly scientific consultant working for U.N.I.T., but more than likely still an assassin. Count on him being armed, dangerous, and insane."

"A mad scientist?" Rhys asked, chuckling. "Really? We're having a go against a mad scientist?" Jack and Martha both shot him looks that could have killed a person and he shut up quickly. Harold Saxon, Gwen decided, was no laughing matter, even if the archetypal mad scientist did sound a bit comedic. She remembered the campaign from last year. Saxon had seemed so… honest and dependable. Everyone voted for him. And then he turned out to be a murderer. But why did that hit so close to home with Jack?

"If at all possible," Jack went on. "We won't have any dealings with the bastard." Martha made to interrupt but when Jack waved her back this time she obeyed. "Saxon is not someone I want to cross and that is final." Gwen glanced at Ianto, who shrugged. He didn't know anymore than she did. Once again, Jack was hiding something. "We're here for one thing and one thing only. Rose Tyler. I have every reason to believe she opened the Rift and brought us here, but I don't know how or why. Could be her actions are related to Cybus Industries and Pete Tyler, seeing as how they have a common history with the Cybermen." He eyed Gwen. "If you're right and Pete's intentionally transmitting a catchphrase to influence the public, then Saxon could very well be involved, in which case we have a serious problem on our hands, but let's not jump the gun just yet, not without proof. This Pete Tyler has Rose's name. I can't think of a worse case scenario than the two of them being family with Saxon in the middle. Pray it's _anything_ but that."

"And now," Ianto said quietly. "It's time for the principle question. Who is Rose Tyler?"

Jack and Martha exchanged looks. Whoever she was, Gwen realized, the thought of her pained the both of them and for a moment they couldn't speak. She had to stop Rhys from pressing further, subtly placing a hand on his arm when she sensed his impatience. Jack would tell them. He had to; he couldn't hold out on them, not with something this crucial. But if he did, then Gwen would be the one pressing further, not Rhys. How dare Jack ask them to look for the woman of his choice when he wouldn't even let them look for Tosh and Owen?

Finally Jack exhaled and stared up at the zeppelins, crossing his arms. "Rose Tyler introduced me to the Doctor. I never would have met him without her, well…" He smiled, looking into the past, allowing those memories to rekindle. "I probably still would have met him, but she put in a good word. A very good word." He glanced at Ianto. "She fought at the battle of Canary Wharf. Her name ended up on the list of the dead, but she wasn't killed. She was trapped here. In this parallel world. I have to find her and get her back home… back to her Doctor. I owe them both so much, it's the least I can do." Ianto averted his eyes and Gwen found herself wondering if there wasn't more to Jack's friendship with this mysterious new woman than he let on.

"Jack," Martha said suddenly, a guarded edge in her voice that warranted immediate attention. Everyone focused on her, on her grave expression as she stared past them into the distance. "Jack, since we're still distrusting U.N.I.T., I think you should know _that _is a U.N.I.T. V.I.P. limo." She nodded toward a curb on the other side of the street where the sleek black stretch limo had just pulled up. Jack frowned, immediately positioning himself at the front of the team, between them and U.N.I.T. They watched suspiciously as three armed soldiers stepped out of the vehicle, followed by a richly dressed businessman who managed to bring crime lords and corruption to the forefront of Gwen's mind.

Ianto crept towards Jack and even started past him, trying to get a closer look, but Jack caught his arm and held him back. They weren't about to rush into anything. Ianto, however, faced his captain apprehensively. "But that's Pete Tyler. I saw a picture of him online." Jack paled.

"So he and U.N.I.T. _are_ connected," Martha said, backing away. It was as if their worst fears had been realized. Gwen understood Harold Saxon posed a threat, but hell, Jack had faced up to Abaddon, son of the Great Beast or whatever the damn thing was, not to mention thousands of other monsters on a daily basis. Even when dealing with John Hart and his own brother, Jack chose to confront his demons. He didn't run away from them. Why was Harold Saxon so much worse?

At that moment, a young man in the crowd noticed Tyler and the oncoming soldiers. He was a black kid, tall and lanky, no doubt in his early twenties, wearing a baggy brown T-shirt. Gwen would have never in a million years pegged him as noteworthy, but when he bolted towards a side street like a skittish rabbit only to have Tyler's lackeys make chase, she easily recognized a target. He was in trouble. Bad trouble.

"That's Mickey," Jack said angrily and without another word he drew a gun and bolted after the boy.

**ooooooo**

Oh man, not good, not good, not good!

Mickey ran as quickly as he could, risking a glance over his shoulder but no, they were still there and gaining on him, too. What did they want? It had been months since they last came after him. He had thought, he had _hoped _they'd finally given up on him. After all, he wasn't that important; when you got right down to it, he was basically useless when he didn't have someone like the Doctor feeding him instructions.

Cursing himself for being dumb enough to come out of hiding just to see the night's bloody festivities, Mickey turned down a back alley and desperately searched for a quick place to hide. He needed to get out of sight, blend into something before they caught up with him. If he was arrested, or even worse, killed, he wouldn't be able to live with himself. _I'm sorry, Rose, I'm so, so sorry…_

Someone tackled him. Mickey hit the ground hard with the weight of a much heavier man pinning him down. He swore and struggled, remembering the basic defense skills he'd picked up over the years, but it was no good. The brute on top of him already had his wrists cuffed behind his back and no matter how hard he squirmed, there was no getting out of that.

"It's okay, Mickey, just try to relax," Jake Simmonds' unmistakable voice swam through the darkness, soothing Mickey's nerves despite everything. As the brute hefted him off the ground and forced him to face his captors, Mickey pinpointed his best friend and longtime partner standing next to Chrissie; they were each gripping deadly rifles but wore coaxing expressions meant to win him over. They were his team, they were supposed to trust each other, and aside from Rose they knew him better than anyone. But behind them stood Pete Tyler and no matter how much Mickey cared about Jake, no matter how tempted he was to surrender just because Jake asked it of him, the sight of Pete Tyler sent fresh waves of fear and abhorrence coursing into Mickey's heart.

"Let me go!" he shouted writhing about in the brute's arms, trying to find an angle at which he could properly kick the man and break free. "Come on, I haven't done anything, just leave me alone!" He shot Jake the most agonized, desolate look he could come up with, praying it would get through to him. "Please, don't do this to me."

Jake, however, just offered him a calm, reassuring smile. "It's all right, Mickey. No one wants to hurt you, we just want to bring you home." Home, Mickey thought sullenly, as in Torchwood, U.N.I.T., and the New Cybus Industries, all of which belonged to Mr. Saxon now. Forget living with his gran, he had offered up his life to the task of defending Earth from evil alien incursions and now he was considered part of the secret unified family from which there was no running away.

"That's right, Mickey," Pete said, walking steadily forward. Mickey shrank back as much as he could, as much as the brute would allow, but he'd never felt more helpless in his life. This was it. There was nothing he could do. Oh god. Pete stood in front of him now, reaching up a hand to clamp onto Mickey's shoulder. His grip was strong; Mickey couldn't shake it off no matter how hard he tried. "You're back with your family now, back where you belong. I'll take you to see Rose, would you like that?"

_Rose… _Mickey shook his head. "You don't have the right to speak her name." For a moment, Pete's maddeningly tranquil expression faltered and a glimpse of uncertainty, of the old Pete Tyler who had once saved two worlds on opposite ends of the void emerged. At the sight of it, Mickey indulged himself with a moment's hope, but only until Pete shook his head, reverting back into that sickening composure.

"You're making this more difficult than it has to be, son. Trust me on-"

"NO!" Mickey tensed, clenched his eyes shut, struggled harder than before, and in his haste to cover his ears pulled so vehemently on the handcuffs that the manacles dug painfully into his wrists. He screamed as Jake and Chrissie both leaped forward to help the brute restrain him. "Don't say that to me! I won't listen! Get off me!"

"Let him go." A loud, resolute, and valiant American voice resonated through the darkness. Pete, Jake, and Chrissie all whirled around while Mickey and the brute looked up in astonishment.

"Oh crap!" Mickey started shaking as he recognized the fifty-first century, time traveling con artist. Jack Harkness was standing at the mouth of the alley holding up a gun with two men and two women at his back, all but one of whom had their own weapons cocked and ready, no doubt waiting for their captain's signal to fire. And here Mickey had thought the night couldn't get any worse. The last thing he needed was a sleazy, self-centered, fully-fledged criminal after him as well.

"It's all right," Pete said, turning round to face the newcomers with his hands held up passively. "I'm Pete Tyler. There's nothing for you to worry about. Just move along. You can trust me on this." Mickey winced, trying to block out the four bewitching words that somehow didn't affect Jack at all. He didn't lower his gun, he didn't so much as waver. And for that matter, neither did his four mates. They just kept standing there, deathly calm, deathly serious, and actually quite frightening. Mickey had never seen them before. Who were they? Where had they come from? What did they want?

Jack scoffed, shaking his head indignantly. "Mr. Tyler, if I trusted every man, woman, and alien that took an interest in me, I'd be just another pathetic plaything by now. Well let me tell you something pal, I'm not that kind of man." Mickey couldn't help it; he rolled his eyes in derision. What was it with the fifty-first century and sexual innuendos? "Now," Jack said, taking a step forward. "Hand over Mickey and we can all be on our way."

"You stay away from him!" Jake rapidly sidled up next to Pete and aimed his rifle. Mickey's stomach churned; he fully expected Jack or one of his thugs to open fire at Jake's blatant hostility. But surprisingly no one moved. Jack must not have expected such speed or gallantry coming from a "primitive twenty-first century caveman" and now they were at a stalemate. The two strange women glanced at their captain apprehensively while Jack assessed the situation.

"Well this is certainly turning into a fine evening," he said stalling for time as he looked for a way out. "I'd even go so far as to call it a first, though there was this one instance with the Koeglan Chieftain and his hostage, a beautiful, legendary warrior from the Tybalt Constellation, that takes possessiveness to whole new levels of extreme." Mickey whimpered, wishing to god there was something he could do, something to help Jake, but with the brute still holding him back he didn't even know what to hope for, he was so helpless. Returning with Pete to Mr. Saxon was simply out of the question, but then again anything was better than giving into Jack Harkness, right?

"Who are you?" Pete demanded at an obvious loss. Even to his allies Jack was a difficult piece of work, especially when it came to those bloody references. He loved showing off, alluding to just about anything he thought might mystify those around him. Rose said it was because they gave Jack the advantage, which was true. He savored his opponents' frustration and used their bewilderment against them. Fortunately, Mickey thought, Jake was there and well acquainted with those unseemly tactics.

"He calls himself Captain Jack Harkness, sir. He used to work for the Time Agency. Now he's just a thief."

Something about Jake's analysis of Jack's character either surprised or upset the captain. He showed his first signs of distress, lifting up his chin, tightening his jaw, narrowing his eyes. "I'm sorry, have we met before?"

Jake sneered. "Please. The least you can do is show me some respect, captain. You betrayed Rose Tyler's faith in you, stole a valuable case of hepsgard alloy, which nearly cost us three alliances by the way, and left Mickey bleeding on the floor of Jackie's zeppelin, though to be fair it was your partner that shot him. You expect me to believe you don't remember?"

"Oh my god." The young black woman standing behind Jack covered her face in her hands. One of the two men, the chunkier, less attractive one, went so far as to lower his gun and gawk at the dark haired woman standing next to him. She, however, remained firm, her gun fixed steadily on Jake, untouched by his honest testimony.

"When did all this happen?" Pete asked, looking sick. Mickey wasn't surprised; one way or the other, Pete still loved his daughter and after what Jack had done to her… Mickey didn't care about getting shot, he would have gone through it twice if he thought it might spare Rose the agony of discovering the true horrors of a parallel world. No Doctor. Villainous Jack. It was like a nightmare.

"About a year ago," Jake said. "Rose managed to get Mickey near some nanogenes. He was healed instantly and so they both agreed to keep the whole catastrophe under wraps."

"Yeah and thanks, by the way," Mickey said somewhat resentfully. "Knew I could count on you." Rose had been hurt and humiliated. The last thing she wanted was to report the incident to her father. As long as the alliances survived without the alloy as their bargaining chip, Rose hoped to forget any of it had ever happened and Mickey was all too happy obliging her. But now everyone knew about it, even those four strangers watching Jack's back who, as far as Mickey could tell, had absolutely no business being there.

"You know, I think you've got me confused with another Jack Harkness," Jack abruptly informed them, every sign of distress leaving his face as cold determination took its place. He met Mickey's gaze and for a moment déjà vu swept through the younger man… like he was seeing someone from a different life. Mickey froze, doubt eating away at his gut while the captain spoke directly to him. "I haven't seen you in years. You called me cheesy and then we fought the Slitheen together." Mickey opened his mouth but couldn't think of a response. Actually, he couldn't think of anything at all. For the first time in years, his mind had gone completely blank.

Pete and Jake were faltering. They didn't know what to make of Jack's claim and now they were turning to look at Mickey questioningly. That was their first mistake.

"Look out!" Chrissie shouted, scrambling forward but not nearly in time. The dark haired woman at Jack's back had stormed past him and was now firing her gun. There were two silver flashes. Pete and Jake were struck first. Mickey watched in horror as they crumpled onto the hard concrete ground. Then the woman fired at Chrissie. Chrissie screamed. The next thing any of them knew, she was aiming at Mickey. She didn't hesitate. Silver light streamed towards him like a bolt of lightning.

But it missed. Instead of hitting Mickey, it crashed directly into the face of the brute restraining him. They both tumbled to the ground, Mickey's heart beating fast enough to short circuit a tin dog.

"Gwen!" Jack shouted. "When did you become so trigger happy?"

There were footsteps pounding towards him. Dazed, Mickey glanced up to see the black girl collapsing at his side. She was about his age, very pretty, and with genuine concern spattered on her face. "It's all right, I've got you," she said, helping him out from underneath the limp brute. "Are you hurt?"

"Did you just…? Are they dead, Gwen?" The least attractive of the three men had followed the dark haired woman into the alley and now all but clung to her as she disarmed the bodies. Mickey stared at her fearfully, ignoring the black girl who was trying to help him stand. If that… Gwen woman had killed Jake… Oh god, please let Jake be okay!

"They're just stunned," Gwen said callously, admiring the craftsmanship of Chrissie's rifle. "I saw an opening and I took it, Jack. They'll be fine."

Jack was standing across from her, regarding her critically. "Still a bit heartless for you, Gwen."

"I did what I had to," she snapped.

Meanwhile, the black girl assisting Mickey slipped behind him and started working the handcuffs, picking them with god only knew what. It certainly didn't sound like a sonic screwdriver and Mickey hoped she knew what she was doing. "We're friends," she assured him, whispering into his ear while Jack, Gwen, and the hovering sidekick argued about recklessness and unnecessary risks. "My name is Martha Jones. We came through the Rift. Have you heard of the Doctor?"

"Is he here?" Mickey asked, twisting around to look at Martha desperately. "Oh god, tell me he's here!" Once upon a time Mickey would have cursed the Doctor's arrival, but now things were different. After everything he'd seen, he'd grown to understand why Rose was so devoted to the Time Lord. It was more than just the friendship, more than just an opportunity to travel and see the stars, more than just the excitement and adventure… It was like… finally understanding the point of creation. Like life had meaning. When you were with the Doctor, you didn't question it. Everything made sense and felt good and right. You felt whole, you felt complete. But in this world… with Mr. Saxon in charge… it was quite the opposite. Nothing made sense; everything was twisted and distorted. The sky, which had always been so dazzling and mysterious, suddenly felt empty and void. There was nothing but despair in this place. Hopelessness.

Martha shook her head. "I'm sorry. It's just us." Mickey stared at her and his disappointment must have been too much. She looked down, silently getting back to work on the bloody handcuffs.

**ooooooo**

Standing by himself at the mouth of the alley, Ianto alone held up his gun. Gwen might have been admiring the large, foreign rifles that Pete Tyler's cohorts had been wielding, but with Jack giving her an inexplicably hard time, she wasn't as alert to her surroundings as she should have been, which of course left Ianto as the sole lookout in case more U.N.I.T. soldiers happened to appear.

Jack was right. Parallel worlds were tricky. Actually, "tricky" was an understatement. Tricky implied logical; as long as you were clever enough, you could navigate your way through both the similarities and divergences with relative ease. But what Ianto had seen so far… there wasn't anything logical about any of it. First with Lisa… and now with the possibility of an alternate Jack who sounded, well, let's face it, less than noble… It was wrong. There wasn't any balance, there wasn't any reason, it was all too painful, all too personal, all too incoherent…

There came a pop and a flash to Ianto's left. He turned his head in time to see a familiar figure dressed in Napoleonic garb literally appearing out of thin air.

"Jack!" he shouted, frantically aiming his gun at the former Time Agent, but Captain John Hart was already on top of him. He swung an arm, pushing Ianto's gun out of the way, and then slammed a fist into Ianto's face. The force of the blow immediately had Ianto lying in a mess on the ground, momentarily stunned.

"Ianto!" Jack screamed, bolting out of the alley.

Moving quickly and efficiently, John Hart pressed something on his wrist strap and then drew a gun, aiming it at Ianto's head. Ianto cowered, glancing from the weapon to Jack in alarm. Its presence made the captain stop short, and now he was watching in shock as blue energy roared out of John's wrist strap and encased both the rogue and his hostage in a dome-shaped force field.

"You think you can just steal my share of the oportium and waltz off to get yourself a brand new team without so much as a goodbye kiss?" John looked furious. "You think you can get away from me so easily? For god's sake, I've got your specific molecular structure memorized, Jack. You think I can't track you down when you disappear on me?" He looked hurt, betrayed, and thoroughly disgusted. Which naturally meant he was out of his mind, crazy, and more dangerous than ever before. Ianto found it hard to breathe.

"Easy there, John, let's talk about this," Jack said slowly, holding up his hands as Gwen, Rhys, Martha, and Mickey cautiously approached from behind. "I'm sure we can work this out, but first you've got to let Ianto go. This is between you and me; he's got nothing to do with it."

John scoffed incredulously. "You ought to keep a closer eye on your toys, Jack. 'Cause when you take off with my loot, when you abandon me, I get real hungry for compensation."

Without another word he pressed another button on his wrist strap.

"John, no!" Jack shouted.

Ianto gasped, gazing at Jack anxiously as the world around him fell apart.

**ooooooo**

**A/N: **Sorry for the delay. This chapter was a bit longer than the others and I do have a busy weekend planned. Well, I did say the Torchwood team would be dealing with alternate versions of themselves and that certainly includes Jack. But please send me more reviews. Everyone knows how motivating they can be. Cheers!


	6. Recap

**A/N: **Has everyone seen "Journey's End" yet? I know I have and I thought it was remarkable, heart wrenching, and bittersweet all at once, just like every finale should be. Anyway, back to the fanfic. I'm itching for reviews. Allons-y!

**ooooooo**

They materialized in a spacey but boxed in steel compartment. At first glance it looked like a cargo hold; there were shelves of containers lining both the left and right walls, but when Ianto spotted the back end of the chamber and took in the ominous bars that sealed it off, he was left with a much darker image than that of a freighting vessel.

He was lying on the cold steel floor with Captain John Hart towering over him and no one else in the near vicinity. His head was killing him and it took him a moment to realize he'd been abducted. Talk about a bad time to get a migraine. Nevertheless, Ianto swung his legs around and knocked John off his feet.

"Whoa!" John landed heavily on his back and Ianto dove for the gun. Unfortunately, the ex-Time Agent was quicker. Much quicker. He easily rolled out of the way and staggered back to his feet, obviously not hindered by the kind of headache inhibiting Ianto. It was slowing him down, turning his reaction time into a bit of a joke. He grimaced, trying to ignore the excruciating pain as John began laughing. "I can see why he likes you."

"You take me back right now," Ianto demanded, breathing heavily. Using a crate to pull himself upright, he glared at John angrily. "Do it!"

John shook his head, utterly amused. "Can't. The, um, burning sensation which you're presently experiencing, you know, the one that feels like a bunch of claws shredding apart your brain, is actually the direct result of traveling through space via my personal vortex manipulator. The affect is just temporary, at most it'll last ten minutes, but since your physiology hasn't yet adapted to the trauma, taking you anywhere just now would probably make your head explode. And I couldn't do that to you. I'm morally against damaging pretty objects."

Desperate, Ianto lunged at him and swung a fist, but John ducked around it. Catching Ianto's arm, he twisted it cruelly and pushed Ianto to his knees. Holding him down, the captain then reached around and began groping him roughly, searching for and confiscating every weapon he had. Ianto cringed, hating John Hart with every fiber of his soul. Then John proceeded to force him out of his jacket, haul him to his feet, and shove him toward the back of the compartment. Pausing only long enough to reach through a shelf and activate some sort of panel on the right wall, which automatically opened the cell's barred door, John dragged Ianto in and forced him to sit on a hard bench. Producing a pair of handcuffs, he grappled skillfully with Ianto's wrists and fastened them together around the bench's armrest.

"You're wrong about one thing, though," Ianto spat as John tightened the cuffs sadistically. "I don't matter to Jack at all. This won't change anything between the two of you." It was relatively true. Ianto doubted the Jack of this reality, the Jack John thought he was stealing from, even knew he existed.

"No use lying to me," John said calmly. "I saw the way he looked at you. Even made me a bit jealous." Ianto rolled his eyes, looking away from his captor, but John wasn't finished yet. He grabbed Ianto's jaw and forced their gazes to lock. There was something in his eyes, some sort of hunger or thirst, some unquenchable, horrible obsession that chilled Ianto to the bones, though he tried masking fear with loathing. John moaned deeply, admiring Ianto and pressing against him before kissing him full on the lips. When he pulled back he was smiling. "Jack always did have good taste. Well, he can have my oportium. Candy's more to my liking and you, Ianto, you're top quality. After all, Jack doesn't settle for anything less." He patted Ianto's cheek and then stepped out of the cell. Once again reaching through the shelf, he touched the panel that slid the barred door shut and effectively locked Ianto in.

"Welcome aboard the Yrderian prison transport," John said hospitably. "Now the private craft of yours truly, since the Yrderian prison guards weren't anywhere near as competent as Jack hoped they'd be when he gave me up to them. Do try not to wander about the cabin and I'll be back as soon as I've finished a few short errands." He winked at Ianto, held up his wrist strap, and dematerialized.

**ooooooo**

"Damn it!" Jack slammed his fist against the inside of a van he and Rhys had managed to commandeer since losing Ianto. At that moment, Rhys was driving the team through surprisingly sparse traffic considering the festivities, heading towards some sort of shelter where Mickey had been living for the past few months. On the floor of the van, Pete Tyler and Jake Simmonds were bound and gagged, still unconscious, the perfect prisoners for an upcoming confrontation with U.N.I.T., but completely useless for a crisis involving John Hart. Jack couldn't believe his luck.

Around him, Mickey, Gwen, and Martha were at a loss for words. Clearly Mickey was terrified, Gwen incensed, and while Martha didn't have the personal pleasure of knowing John Hart herself, she could easily comprehend the danger he posed as a loose cannon with a chip on his shoulder and Ianto in his possession. They didn't have time for this! They were supposed to be looking for Rose. This was supposed to be about Rose.

"Are you really him?" Mickey suddenly asked, cutting into the silent tension. Jack glanced at him and noted his fear, skepticism, and underlying abhorrence. While the details of his alternate self's past encounter with Rose and Mickey remained somewhat vague, Jack easily imagined what could have happened between them. Rose, mourning the loss of her Doctor, had been innocent enough to fall for quite a different Jack Harkness' charms, believing him to have the same goodness in him she'd seen before. She would have wanted to believe they could grow close to each other and have a similar relationship to the one they'd had when traveling with the Doctor. She thought it would make the pain go away, having at least Jack in her life again. But of course Jack had still been partnered with John Hart, and John was nothing if not a bad influence. Together they would have taken advantage of Rose's affections, leaving her out to dry when they got what they wanted. And now, whenever Mickey looked at Jack he saw a traitor and it would sure take a hell of a lot to convince him otherwise, especially if he believed travel between parallel worlds was impossible.

"Yes," Jack said grumpily. "I'm really him."

Mickey considered that for several minutes until finally he cracked. "You know we could have used your help months ago! I don't know how you got here, but for an ex-Time Agent, you sure have bad timing. So we finally stopped John Lumic from upgrading the world into Cybermen, three years pass, everything's fine and dandy. Britain's Golden Age. But temperatures spiked. Hell, there were a lot of anomalies back then. We knew it was the start of something catastrophic and were convinced the Cybermen had caused it. So we hunted them. Developed technology to hop back into your world to complete our investigations. You know what we found? Your bloody Torchwood making a mess of things and a very angry Doctor to boot. It had taken the Cybermen three years, at least on our side, only a few weeks on yours, to navigate their way through the Void, mainly 'cause of their sheer weight. There were so many of them, an army, and the Doctor feared they'd destroy two universes at once. But it was worse than that. We weren't just dealing with the Cybermen. The Daleks were there too. You've heard of Daleks, haven't you?"

Jack just glared at him. Of course he'd heard of the damn Daleks. For over a century their grating voices had shrieked and screamed in his nightmares, which was one reason he chose not to sleep unless it was absolutely necessary. Martha must have heard of them as well, for she gasped in horror, but Gwen… Gwen was thankfully at a loss. Like evil Time Lords, the less she knew about the Daleks the happier Jack would be.

Mickey continued. "So the Doctor sends both armies crashing into the Void. Rose gets trapped in this world. She's heartbroken, but she puts on a brave face, joins Torchwood, and since then has become Earth's leading ambassador into outer space. Go figure. The aliens all love her. But there's this one in particular… He's a Time Lord. We checked, he had two hearts and everything. Claimed to be the Doctor. Told U.N.I.T. he'd regenerated since they saw him last and immediately earned a post as the scientific consultant. We were elated. All of us but Rose. She was terrified of him. Of course, he was the Doctor, so we all thought she was off her rocker, but she said it wasn't him. Said he was a fraud, that we couldn't trust him. When we asked her how she knew, she couldn't give us any proof. We told her she was being paranoid, convinced her to sit down with the bloke and just talk to him, get reacquainted and all that. She agreed. Reluctantly. After a few private interviews, she lost it. Broke down and ran away. I ended up hacking into the security cameras to find out what they'd been talking about 'cause I had to know why she was so terrified of him. Turns out he's not as benevolent as we thought. He did something to her, tried hypnotizing her, got her telling him everything about her travels with the Doctor, how they met, what they did, but she was struggling. She was trying so hard to snap herself out of it and he got impatient. He actually pressed his hands up against her face and I think he literally looked inside her mind. You know, psychically. But whatever it was he saw, it pushed him backwards, he literally fell out of his chair. That's when Rose ran. Of course I followed her. I'd follow her anywhere, always have. But we weren't fast enough. They caught up with us. They captured Rose and I barely escaped."

"You didn't try rescuing her?" Jack demanded furiously, already knowing who the mysterious Time Lord was and hating him all the more for it. Harold Saxon. He had infiltrated U.N.I.T. by pretending to be the Doctor and god only knew where the real Doctor was or what had happened to him. Rose, beautiful, wonderful Rose, was an angel for seeing past the Master's pretenses, but she had gained his interest and was now his prisoner. Having been the Master's prisoner himself before, Jack dreaded the thought of what he might be doing to her.

"How could I?" Mickey protested. "Pete Tyler manages Torchwood, which has actually merged with U.N.I.T. And lately that rubbish Time Lord, his name's Saxon, not the Doctor, he calls himself Harold Saxon, he's been hypnotizing everyone. They don't realize it 'cause Saxon's using a certain catchphrase that's been around for years and years to placate them. Pete's catchphrase. And they trust him, they really do. So Rose is being held prisoner by U.N.I.T. _and _Torchwood, locked up by all sorts of advanced technology developed by the New Cybus Industries, and I'm on my own. They've even got Jake doing their dirty work for 'em and from the looks of it, they're just itching to hypnotize me as well."

"Don't worry," Gwen said softly, a trace of her old compassion reemerging. "We're here now, we're not going to let that happen." Jack eyed her appreciatively. Since Tosh and Owen's deaths, she'd been angry, so very aggressive, and eager to prove to herself that she was strong enough to survive. She didn't think Jack noticed, but he did. He always noticed when his friends behaved out of character. She was grieving. God, why did all this have to happen when they were grieving? _Rose… Ianto…_

"Damn it," he said again for what felt like the hundredth time.

"How'd you lot even get here?" Mickey asked, glancing from Gwen to Martha to Jack. "Not to sound ungrateful or anything, but the Doctor's always said when you hop between worlds, universes collapse and stuff." Gwen and Martha exchanged worried looks but Jack merely shrugged.

"Can't explain it," he said. "You remember the Rift in Cardiff?" Mickey nodded. "Well, today it opened. It pulled us in and the next thing we knew, we were stranded here in London. Just like that. I think Rose had something to do with it. Earlier this afternoon Martha, Ianto, and I were bombarded by the Moonlight Serenade. Long story. Thing is, Rose and the Doctor are the only ones who understand the significance of that particular song."

"Rose needs our help," Martha said. "Somehow she brought us here and sent us an S.O.S. The thing is, if she's Saxon's prisoner, how was she able to do any of it?"

"What's so special about her anyway?" Gwen asked, focusing on Jack. "Her relationship with your Doctor? If I'm understanding this correctly, both he and this Saxon bloke are, what did you call them, Mickey? Time Lords?" She waited for Mickey's confirmation and then looked back at the captain. "You said Rose introduced you to the Doctor… Is that why you're so scared of Saxon, Jack? Because he's just like your hero, only crazier and megalomaniac? Because he targets the people closest to the Doctor and what… imprisons them?"

Jack sighed, glancing at Martha. She watched him sympathetically, but chose not to speak for him. It was his story to tell, as much as he loathed telling it. He'd been sheltering Gwen for so long, he'd been trying so hard to protect her, when had she noticed his fear of Saxon? His terror? Or was he really that transparent? "I think Martha's question is more relevant. If Rose _is_ behind all this, how's she doing it? We need to find out where she is and what Saxon has done to her. Then we can think up a way to save her." He glanced down at Pete and Jake. "And that's where they'll come in."

"Jack," Gwen said stubbornly. "Why won't you be honest with us for once? You're scared of Saxon, we call all see that. You're scared of him more than you are of John and John's got Ianto." Jack flinched at the unnecessary reminder. "Tell us, Jack," Gwen insisted. "What's so bad about Harold Saxon? How did it become so personal?"

"It's personal to everyone who's traveled with the Doctor," Martha finally interjected, much to Jack's relief. She turned toward Gwen, gently taking the officer's hands in her own and squeezed them comfortingly, though it was anyone's guess who she was trying to comfort. "You said it yourself, Gwen. Harold Saxon is crazy and power hungry. He and the Doctor… they're Time Lords. In our reality, they were the last of their kind. Their planet was destroyed, they were all alone. Can you imagine that? They had no one else." Gwen's eyes were wide as she stared at Martha; her lips were trembling and Jack knew she was struggling to grasp it all. The loneliness. The heartache.

"They were like brothers," Martha continued. "Orphans or something. And they're geniuses, the smartest things out there. But while the Doctor is always fighting to protect us, the Master is striving to conquer us."

Mickey blinked. "The Master?"

"Sorry, I mean Saxon," Martha clarified. "Sometimes the Doctor hides his identity with the pseudonym John Smith. Well, the Master goes by Harold Saxon. They're literally on opposite ends of the spectrum. The Doctor is good, the Master is evil. But because they're so close, everything they did was always so personal. The Doctor felt responsible for the Master and the Master was obsessed with the Doctor. Mind you, not in a good way. And believe me, if the Master thought he could exploit those of us who love the Doctor, he'd use us in a second. Anything to hurt him."

"Hang on," Mickey objected. "Rose and I've traveled with the Doctor. Rose, she traveled all over the place. How come we've never heard of him?"

"One," Jack said impatiently. "He didn't resurface until about year after the battle of Canary Wharf. The Doctor thought he had died during the Time War. Two, you've heard of him now, he's taken Rose prisoner, so stop wasting time asking dumb questions." Mickey recoiled while Gwen and Martha both frowned at him. So maybe he was being a little harsh. Could they really blame him? "Look, Martha and I have both been targeted by Saxon in the past, just because we're close to the Doctor. It's all about hurting the Doctor and now he has Rose."

"Rose loves the Doctor," Mickey whispered, looking somewhat dizzy. "And the way he used to look at her… You can't get closer to someone than that." He was starting to comprehend Jack's fear and it clearly horrified him. "But it's a parallel world! The Saxon here isn't the same Saxon you met back in your world and Rose's Doctor isn't the same Doctor the Saxon here cares about, so what's he want with her?"

Gwen closed her eyes. "Oi, I'm getting a headache."

Jack leaned forward. "I don't know what he wants with her, Mickey. But I've said it once and I'll say it again. Rose Tyler is worth fighting for. We're gonna save her." Mickey exhaled, his face an assortment of sentiments, fear, hope, doubt, and determination. At that moment, it clicked; they were in this together, they were joining forces and they weren't going to give in until the job was done. They were preparing for battle and if they had to, they'd go down fighting. Recognizing the same purpose, the same resolve in one another, Jack and Mickey shared an instant of true fellowship, the kind that bound people together, making them stronger in the face of any danger; the kind that would have impressed the Doctor, reinforcing his belief in humanity's goodness and potential. When they wanted to be, they were forces to be reckoned with. Jack nodded and Mickey returned the gesture.

Sighing, Gwen unbuckled her seatbelt and climbed carefully to the front of the van. Rhys had been unusually quiet up until now, bent on driving and Gwen deemed it a good opportunity to check up on him. "Rhys? Are you getting all of this? Do you understand what's going on?"

He didn't hesitate. "What's not to understand? Mad scientist wants to take over the world, cosmic battle between good and evil, damsel in distress, hero's M.I.A., leaving us, a rather unlikely crew of lowly earthlings, with the small task of putting things to right despite our minimal chances of success. To make matters worse, there's a lovesick loon on the loose who's kidnapped one of our own." He glanced over his shoulder to look at Jack. "So what's the plan?"

**ooooooo**

The van pulled into a large, abandoned scrap yard where massive piles of dead cars, appliances, utensils, broken furniture, dumpsters, and rusty debris littered the muddy ground as far as the eye could see. Unlit, it was as dark as the countryside and had it not been for the van's blaring headlights, which naturally elicited the gloomiest of shadows from every direction, Gwen was certain they would have lost their way in an endless maze of reeking refuse. "Mickey, tell me we took a wrong turn somewhere and this isn't where you've been living the past few weeks." He shook his head and Gwen heaved a sigh. "Well, isn't this nice…"

"I don't know, it's not so bad," Martha whispered, staring out the window as if she half expected a weevil to jump out at her. Then again, Gwen thought, there were a hell of a lot worse things prowling through the darkness than packs of weevils. "I've… I've stayed in worse places." Her voice shook and Gwen couldn't help wondering what sort of hideout could possibly be more sinister, or disgusting, than an abandoned scrap yard.

"Me too," Jack offhandedly assured them. Aside from Mickey, he alone seemed perfectly at ease in the unpleasant environs. "And unless you've spent a week on Rusustret, the satellite Earth's gonna launch in the forty-eighth century to contain its mounting waste, you've got nothing to complain about. I mean, talk about galactic filth. But it does have its advantages. When you're on the run, not even the most obstinate of bounty hunters will track you there."

"Then you're serious?" Rhys asked, easing the van down to mere crawl. "We're actually going to make camp in the middle of a bloody landfill?" He sounded appalled and indignant. "Is that the best you can do? London's got millions of people living in it, for Christ's sake. I know we're on the run and all, but how bloody hard can it be to disappear into a crowd? Can't you at least afford a shabby hotel?" Try as hard as she might, Gwen couldn't bring herself to favor practicality over comfort anymore than Rhys could and found herself agreeing with him. Why, of all places, did Mickey have to lead them to a scrap yard?

"As it happens," Mickey snapped irritably. "The moment Torchwood merged with U.N.I.T. we had to give blood samples and undergo a whole series of tests and stuff. They've got our DNA on file and scanners to detect us no matter where we go. Me, Pete, and Jake… They could be tracking us this very minute. Shabby hotels won't do any good and no matter how big the crowd, they'll be able to distinguish us from the bloke standing next to us without breaking a sweat."

Gwen whirled around to glance at Martha, but not even she who always remained ever optimistic could hide her growing panic. "And you didn't think that was worth mentioning until now?"

"Shove off," Mickey said. "I can piece together a supercomputer by your leave, but that sure doesn't make me one, so excuse me for overlooking a couple details." He reached forward to tap Rhys on the shoulder. "Park there." Once Rhys obeyed and the van stopped moving, Mickey slid open the side door and jumped out.

"You've been on your own for months," Jack thoughtfully mulled over as the rest of the team scrambled after the scrap yard inhabitant. Mickey had already turned back and was ever so gently pulling Jake out of the van, so Gwen, Rhys, and Martha followed suit and together they hauled out Pete, perhaps not showing him the same care and consideration. Jack, however, just stood there watching their progress. "I'm going to assume since you brought us all the way out here and since you haven't been caught before tonight there's something different about this particular scrap yard. Something that can shelter us."

"Yeah," Mickey said, easing Jake onto the ground. Gwen glanced at him, curious as to what could possibly be found in a scrap yard capable of blocking out the signal to one of U.N.I.T.'s highly advanced scanners. Slowly, after caressing Jake's face, Mickey stood up and fished for something in his pocket. "Jack, I want you to know I never would've left Rose to Saxon if she hadn't asked me. When she ran away, when I realized she wasn't just scared of Saxon but actually in genuine danger, I would've followed her all the way to Hell. We tried getting to the estate, to Jackie, but they intercepted us. Took us to Pete's private zeppelin. We were locked in a cabin. Managed to break out, but the bloody ship only had a single escape pod attached to it and those things only have room for one passenger."

"Let me guess," Jack said somberly. "Rose made you take it." Mickey nodded and Gwen marveled at that. She didn't know much about these people, but the more she heard of this Rose Tyler, of her courage, insight, and nobility, the more convinced she became of Jack's admiration and Mickey's devotion, and the more inadequate she felt. It had taken her two years to grow fully confident in her own abilities, to trust that she could do her job well, get it done, and maybe even save the world singlehandedly, but after a few strategically placed explosions that crippled Cardiff courtesy of Captain John Hart, she had nearly given up. Without Jack standing at the helm she had panicked, she had felt so lost and desperate, and thank god for Rhys or she would have snapped. But then Tosh and Owen…

What did Rose Tyler have that everyone else seemed to lack, even Martha? This Harold Saxon was clearly a man to be feared; after all, if he could intimidate Jack he had to be a monster. And yet… Rose had sacrificed her one chance of escaping him for this Mickey Smith.

"She said we had to rely on our strengths," Mickey continued. "She said she could handle Saxon and his psychic warfare, but I'd be more useful on the outside." He shrugged. "Not sure what she meant by that. I might know a thing or two 'bout computers, but it's not like I can hack into U.N.I.T.'s mainframe and crash the system. Believe me, I've tried, but I'm up against firewalls developed by a bloody Time Lord. Sometimes I think she knew, but that's Rose for you. A certain daft old Doctor taught her a thing or two about faith and she never gives up. She gave me this." Mickey pulled a long, silver chain from his pocket and dangling at the end was a single simple little key. "She told me not to forget who we were, where we'd been, the things we'd seen. Told me never to quit. Said she wants it back as soon as we beat Saxon. Made me promise I'd be there to return it to her."

This clearly meant something to Jack; he was grinning, staring transfixed at the key. For that matter, so was Martha. "Is that…?"

"Rose's key to the Tardis," Mickey said, a confirmation that only added to Gwen's perplexity. "At first it was just a sentimental token to remember her by. But you know what? It works in this reality too."

**ooooooo**

**A/U: **Sorry this was such a long, relatively uneventful chapter. I thought it was important information and now you all know what Rose has been up to since Doomsday. Please don't worry, no one's forgotten about Ianto. Anyway, there should be more action in the next chapter. Please review. Cheers!


	7. The Tardis

**A/N: **As far as the scrap yard is concerned, I was reminiscing on "An Unearthly Child." The First Doctor parked his Tardis in a junk yard, remember? I couldn't help myself. Allons-y!

**ooooooo**

Some things never changed, even in parallel worlds. The Tardis stood next to a large green dumpster disguised as a police box from out of the sixties. Considering "Pete's World," as Mickey suggested they call it, was running three years ahead of Jack's, police boxes had grown even more obsolete than ever and so despite its appropriate surroundings Rhys Williams still scratched his head at the sight of it. "What's that then?"

"That," Jack said waving his torch around proudly, "is the Doctor's spaceship."

"It's called a Tardis," Mickey announced, easing Jake who he had been carrying slung over his shoulder onto the ground. He pulled Rose's key back out and with Martha standing next to him offering him the light of her own torch, he started fiddling with the lock. "Stands for Time And Relative Dimensions In Space. No one ever bothers to notice it, so it really doesn't matter that the chameleon circuit which ought to conceal it wherever it lands has been broken for years." He glanced over his shoulder at Gwen and Rhys, both of whom had unceremoniously dumped Pete Tyler into a muddy puddle. "Believe me, it takes awhile to get used to."

"But you _can _get used to it," Jack assured them. "Take Mickey for example. When I first met him he didn't understand the concept of a chameleon circuit and now he's rattling off information like a practiced veteran. If _he _can get the hang of it, anyone can. Even Rhys."

"Oi!" Mickey and Rhys both shot Jack resentful glares, but he just shrugged, beaming at humanity's adaptability. It was nothing to be ashamed about. In fact, they never would have survived up into the fifty-first century and beyond without a bit of give and take here and there. It was very essential and besides, it made things more interesting. Truth be told, Jack was proud of Mickey. Living proof that even idiots could save the world.

"Jack, there's got to be some mistake," Gwen said, unable to look away from the Tardis. As soon as Mickey had the doors unlocked Martha let herself in, already at home in the ship. Jack grinned; by now this was second nature to her. However, with her disappearance the rest of the team was deprived one torch and the night became significantly darker. The Tardis, normally resplendent with pairs of white windows and the words "Police, Public Call, Box" written in bold white letters, now had a haunted, obscure look to it that brought to mind ghosts and ghouls. It was no longer a beacon in the night, but a lost, forgotten relic from a distant, dying dynasty. Jack's grin faded a bit and he grimly turned his attention to Gwen who was still in denial. "I can't believe you expect us all to fit inside that thing."

Jack sighed. "You know what? You'd best let me take Pete. If he gets dropped again, he's going to wake up with a concussion." Picking up the unconscious man and tossing him over his shoulder, Jack waited for Mickey, who had hauled Jake back into a like position, to enter first. Then Jack kicked his way into the threshold, pausing only long enough to glance back at his two stupefied companions. "Come on! Where's your sense of adventure?"

Gwen and Rhys glanced blankly at each other until surprisingly Rhys, not Gwen but Rhys, shrugged his shoulders and stepped forward. "All right, I'm game."

To say the married couple was shocked by the inside of the Tardis would have been an understatement. After a single glance they each bolted back outside, had a merry run around the small blue box, and then drifted back in with disbelief and wonder etched across their faces. Out of all the technology she had ever seen, Gwen assured them this was by far the most extraordinary. She thought she was dreaming. Rhys couldn't imagine anything more fantastic and complained about how most humans had to go through life missing it, missing out on all the marvels and mysteries the universe had to offer which were slowly revealing themselves to him.

"Trust me," Jack said laughing. "I've been there. First time I stepped inside this ship… my life changed forever." In more ways than one. For starters, had it not been for the Tardis he would've gone out in an impressive explosion.

"It's a shame you've got to see it like this, though," Martha said from the other side of the silent console. Her voice was subdued, almost depressed, and when Jack caught her gaze he found her melancholy quite contagious. The inside of the Tardis was in a pitiful condition. Lit only by the lanterns Mickey had set up since occupying the ship, it was murky and paralyzed, like it was dying. "She should be bright, loud, and rambunctious. So full of life, but she's not."

"The Tardis is here, but the Doctor isn't," Mickey reminded them. He was standing in the back next to a cot which he had pulled out from one of the wall's hexagonal roundels for Jake to lie on. Meanwhile, Pete was still slumped on the floor. "Honestly, it was pure luck I even found it. Just happened to be in the right spot at the right time when a dustbin lorry drove by and there it was, sticking up out of the back. Purely coincidental." That was… if you believed in coincidences.

"That's rather contradictory," Gwen remarked. "I thought you said no one ever noticed it, but someone wanted it disposed of?"

"And that's just the thing," Mickey said. "I caught up with the driver and asked him where he'd found it, but he didn't know what I was talking about. I had to show him. And let me tell you something, after that he wanted it incinerated. Took everything I had to convince him to leave it alone." Mickey shuddered and though neither of them acknowledged it, Jack thought he understood what the younger man was feeling. Manipulated. First, Mickey "just happened to be in the right spot" to catch sight of the Tardis, which just so happened to be in the possession of a man who had never claimed it, had never even seen it before. Then, Jack just so happened to hear Glenn Miller playing mysteriously on anything and everything with a speaker grille, whether or not it was technically functional, which impelled him to search for Rose by Big Ben where he just so happened to find Mickey. Was it coincidental? Was Rose behind it? Was she guiding them to her? Or was it a clever trap set up by the Master?

"It makes you wonder where the Doctor is," Martha said sullenly, gazing down at her phone. From the looks of it she had tried calling him again, but with no more luck than before. "He should be here. This is his Tardis and I refuse to believe he's…" She couldn't finish her sentence. The horrors of this world were finally getting to her, exhausting her, and she was starting to cry. Jack immediately walked around the console and took her in his arms, just as he had held Ianto. Gwen and Rhys looked on mutely, gripping each other's hands as they respected Martha's anguish. Mickey couldn't even look up from the ground.

"It's all right, Martha," Jack told her soothingly. "It's just a parallel world. The Doctor, _our _Doctor, is perfectly safe in his unmanageable Tardis back home. Come on, keep it together. We've been taught by the best and we're going to get through this." Was it any wonder parallel worlds were so dangerous? Was it any wonder they shouldn't go looking to find their alternate counterparts? Or even Tosh and Owen? He wasn't trying to be cruel, he was just trying to protect them.

"Mmmppphhh!"

Pete was awake, moaning through his gag, no doubt suffering from mild disorientation. Jack pulled away from Martha and they both turned to regard their prisoner while Mickey backed away, wary of his best friend's father despite his newfound allies.

As Gwen and Rhys gathered around Jack, he looked down on Pete coldly. "Mr. Tyler. It's about time you woke up, you've been out for over two hours. I'm going to have to look into those stun guns, they're a bit more refined than their labels led me to believe. Could be dangerous." Pete stared back up at him with just the right amount of fear to satisfy Jack.

**ooooooo**

Sitting in front of a large computer screen sipping quietly at her coffee, Suzie Costello waited for the results she knew would eventually turn up. This Captain John Hart… damn, he was good, the worthiest adversary she'd faced in a long time. Normally, scanning London for alien spacecrafts only took her five, ten minutes, but with Hart she had been scanning for over an hour. Well, she had always known some aliens were better at concealment than others and she did like a challenge. Still, not even Hart could hide forever and the moment she found him she would make it a point to gloat and gloat and gloat.

"Still chasing after that promotion?"

Suzie turned her head just in time to catch a hard kiss on the lips. A heartbeat later and Harold Saxon was sitting on a stool next to her, twisting it back and forth like a restless schoolboy. His tie was loose, his jacket had been flung over someone else's computer, and his eyes were sparkling. Suzie recognized his expression immediately; he had just come from another visit with the Bad Wolf. Oh, she envied him that. "I'll have Captain Hart right where I want him by morning and then I'll be fully qualified to assume command of the Torchwood branch. Pete Tyler will be left with nothing but Cybus Industries and when you convince Sanchez to shut down the corporation, he'll have nothing but his money."

"Mmm…" Harry grinned, leaning towards her conspiratorially, his aftershave making her melt. If they hadn't been occupying a high security U.N.I.T. base, one that was under constant surveillance, Suzie would have shagged him then and there. His breath was warm on her face. "In a few days, we'll have the influence to depose Lieutenant-General Sanchez and then all of U.N.I.T. will be ours. All of the People's Republic. All of the world."

Suzie laughed. "We'll conquer Earth's allies. Conquer the universe. It will be our monarchy, a _true _Golden Age. And you'll show me everything?" She was sick of this planet's degradation. Everything Earth did and everything that came here was tainted, polluted, pure evil. Just look at John Lumic and the bloody Cybermen. Suzie hated it, she was driven mad by it.

But then Rose had arrived. Rose Tyler… She had led Earth to glory and for a moment Suzie had begun hoping again… at least until Harry came and revealed the truth. Rose Tyler was a walking bomb, a weapon that could either rid the universe of all its wrongs or undo the very fabric of creation. She had to be protected and closely monitored lest she fall into the wrong hands. Suzie had been there to witness Rose's eruption. The poor girl had been terrified, she had fought Harry, she had screamed and wept as he forced her into the Hadron Web, forced her to look into the heart of his Tardis, forced her to become what she was always meant to be… Bad Wolf.

_"This is her destiny," _Harry had assured Suzie, who had watched in awe. _"Everyone fears destiny. Poor Rose tried running from it, but no matter how far she runs, she can't escape it, Suzie. And it's better for her to be in our grasp than in the hands of someone evil, someone who would use her to destroy. You see, you and I are saving the universe."_

Rose might have been an innocent girl, but Bad Wolf was a tool. Rose was sacrificed so Bad Wolf could live. And with Bad Wolf, Suzie and Harry could ensure the salvation of time and space. Together they would conquer, together they would rule, and under their dominion peace would reign everywhere for all eternity. Harry promised to show Suzie all the wonders of creation; he promised her all the shit she'd endured until now would prove worthwhile, because in the end she would have the stars themselves at her fingertips.

"First thing's first," Harry said, pointing at the computer screen. "You need that promotion. Let's see if I can't help you pinpoint Captain Hart's exact location."

**ooooooo**

"Mickey!" Pete wriggled around on the floor like a fish out of water. The moment Jack removed his gag he had started protesting loudly to his abduction, to his restraints, to his treatment in general, and anything else he could think of, all the while searching the Tardis console room for a means of escape or at least a friendly face. "Mickey, where are we? What is this place? What are you doing with these people?"

"Hey!" Jack shouted, bending over the prisoner and grabbing his jaw. He forced Pete to look at him, masking his own personal disgust with an angry, threatening expression that would have intimidated just about anyone. How could this be Rose's father? How could Rose's father subject her to the Master? Her own father! "I'm the one asking the questions here, Mr. Tyler, not you. And I'm only going to ask them once. If you don't answer quickly and honestly, we'll kill you and move onto our next prisoner." He gestured toward Jake, who was slowly waking up himself but still gagged. Mickey remained faithfully at his side, but fortunately his closed face gave away nothing. Jack was bluffing here and the last thing he needed was Pete calling it because Mickey couldn't keep his emotions in check. "Understand this, my friend. The only person in this room who gives a damn about either one of you is Mickey and he's completely under our control. No one's coming to help you, you can't escape, and if you want to make it out of here alive you'd best cooperate."

Jack patted Pete's face and stood back up, glaring down at the man with Martha, Gwen, and Rhys at his side. They allowed Pete a few moments to consider his options, to see how futile resistance would actually be, and to hopefully give up. Of course it was always difficult judging how malleable a prisoner might be, to determine how much pressure was needed to get some answers and to dish out just the right amount without going overboard, without breaking someone past the point of recovery. On the bright side, Pete was easy to read. Trapped as he was in a dimly lit, unknown alien vessel surrounded by enemies, one of whom he'd been told was a dangerous criminal, Pete was out of his depth. "What do you want?"

"Tell us about Rose Tyler," Martha said stepping in. Her poise, grace, and assurance had yet to return, she was still distraught by the Doctor's absence, a fact made obvious by the tremor in her voice, but she was strong and resolute. Jack knew she was aware of Rose's importance to the Doctor and so she would fight tooth and nails for Rose on the Doctor's behalf. "Where is Saxon keeping her, what is he doing to her, and why?"

Pete paled considerably at the mention of Rose. "First Mickey and now my daughter? I don't think so, I'd rather die than give her up to a band of thieves."

"That's rich coming from you," Gwen spat cruelly. Pete furrowed his brow, as if he honestly didn't understand what she meant by such an accusation. He was playing innocent and that more than anything else infuriated Jack and Gwen. "We know about Saxon. We know he's a monster and you're working for him. You're supposed to be a hero, Pete Tyler. You saved the world from the Cybermen and now you're subjugating it to something just as bad, to something worse."

Pete's expression switched abruptly from fear to pure fury. "First of all, there is absolutely _nothing _worse than the Cybermen! Lumic wanted to upgrade humanity into cold, apathetic, heartless machines. That's Hell right there for you. A fate worse than death. Whatever Saxon is, whatever he does, at least he still allows us our fears and doubts and heartaches. I think he finds them amusing. But as long as we can feel them, as long as we can _feel_, we're still human. We're not empty, we're not devoid of our own souls, and that gives us the capacity to hope. In no way is Saxon worse than the Cybermen."

"Except that he's got you trusting him," Rhys pointed out, catching on quickly. "And when you trust someone, especially when you _want _to trust 'em, more than anything, you end up fucking blind and, and, and not just unable to see the truth, but unwilling." Jack caught the look Gwen shot her husband. It was appreciative and apologetic. "Blind faith, that's what it's called. Everyone wishes they could have it in each other, in their loved ones, and we all want people to have faith in us. But thanks to you and your bloody catchphrase, 'Oh, it's all right, trust me on this,' Saxon's corrupting the whole concept."

"You know he's evil," Gwen said, taking Rhys' hand, staring down at Pete with just a trace of kindness in her eyes. Jack knew her well enough to recognize the connections she was making, ever empathetic, always able to take vague details, put them together, and suddenly understand the feelings of complete strangers. "After all, someone who's amused by humanity's suffering, that's evil, and you know it. Deep down, you can sense it. He's forcing you to trust him, to have faith in him, so that even though you recognize his crimes, you still defend him. You don't have a choice, he's got you hypnotized, but like you said, he still allows you to 'feel.' He still allows you fears, doubts, heartaches, and even hope, but there's nothing you can do about it. You can't fight back, you can't even try saving the world, because despite all those misgivings, you still trust him. Doesn't that drive you mad?"

Pete was shaking, sweating, holding his breath, and clenching his jaw shut. Obviously, Gwen and Rhys weren't too far off the mark. Jack scoffed. "And you think turning cold and numb is worse than Saxon."

"John Lumic was brilliant," Mickey added, finally taking a step forward. Pete whirled his head around to cower from the boy, their roles having completely reversed. "You were there, you remember what the Doctor said. Lumic did what he did to fight sickness and suffering. Yeah, he had delusions, he was utterly insane, but he was human and he thought he was doing us a service. It was a mistake. But Saxon… he's choosing to destroy us. He wants to snuff out our freedom, then our imagination, then our very lives. He's killing us and he's doing it for the hell of it. That's worse, that's so much worse, that's downright _evil_, Pete!"

"Describes him perfectly," Martha grumbled.

"But you're supposed to be better than that," Jack fiercely reminded him and as Pete's frightened gaze met his, as Pete truly took in the sight of him, as if seeing him for the first time, Jack knelt down and stressed his point. "We're only here to save Rose. We know who Saxon is, we know what he's capable of doing, and with your help we can stop him. Help us, Mr. Tyler. I know for a fact you owe Rose that much." They all did. Jack in particular owed Rose everything. Failing her now, when she needed them most, just wasn't an option.

Slowly, Pete's fear began wavering. As he and Jack stared each other down, the same tranquil expression he had worn back in the alley in Westminster crossed his face again. He contemplated his captors, focusing the most on Jack until he said, "You care about her. You, you actually think you can save her, and what do you call yourself? Jack? Your name's Jack, if I'm not mistaken." Something in Pete's voice made Jack's blood run cold. He looked up at Mickey, who retreated into the shadows. He glanced around at Martha, Gwen, and Rhys, only to find uncertainty and mounting alarm. But it wasn't until Pete spoke next that Jack knew beyond a doubt they were in trouble. "You're not from this world, are you? You're from hers. She's calling to you, begging you for help. She said it's the Blitz all over again. She wants you to catch her, Jack, but you won't. The Master knows you're coming and he will kill you first."

**ooooooo**

"There," Harry said, pointing to a single red dot blinking on the computer screen. He laughed as Suzie set aside her coffee and started typing on the keyboard. "He's tethered his ship to Big Ben. It must be cloaked. How clever, that _is _clever. Obviously a cloaked ship would be harder to find, especially if he has it powered down, but park it next to a landmark and you'll always know where to find it. Bravo! Though I do prefer chameleon circuits, they're much more interesting than mere cloaking devices."

"Locking onto target," Suzie said, glancing up at the screen and waiting for the red dot to turn blue. "There we go. Scanning the interior…" She hit several more keys and waited for a new window to pop open, one that would detect the ship's occupants and list its valuables. "Only one life sign, male, that's promising, but no, height, weight, and estimated age all vary. John Hart is not aboard. Contents include various minerals and alloys, most of which have been outlawed and confiscated by the Shadow Proclamation via the Yrderian police force. That ship is a prison transport."

"I know," Harry assured her, leaning forward to view the ship's schematics. "Whoever's aboard that craft is sitting smack dab in the middle of a cell. It seems Hart has found himself a captive. And not just any captive. Look at these readings." He pointed at the figures. "What do you make of them?"

"Is that some sort of radiation?" Suzie asked. She had never seen anything like it before. "Whoever he is, he's soaked in it." She glanced at Harry in alarm. "He's contaminated. He could put the whole city at risk."

Fortunately, Harry shook his head. "No, I doubt that. Technically, it's not even radiation. Just a cluster of harmless particles from out of the Void, officially discovered by Pete Tyler two years ago. Void Stuff, that's what he calls them. Captain Hart has locked someone up on his ship who's traveled through the Void. Interesting." Suzie regarded the readings on her computer in perplexity, wondering what the Void was or how it could be relevant to their current mission.

"Excuse me," Harry said, motioning for Suzie to trade seats with him. She obeyed and watched silently as he pulled up first Rose Tyler's profile, then Pete Tyler's, then Mickey Smith's, then Jake Simmonds'. Much to her surprise, they each had traces of the exact same Void Stuff contaminating them as well. "But those traces are so faint," Harry said as if reading her mind. "While this prisoner is all but glowing. He came through recently. Very recently. Suzie, you must bring him to me." He turned to her, grabbing her roughly, passionately, by the arms. She gasped, admiring the intensity in his eyes. "When you assemble your team, when you go to arrest Captain Hart and earn yourself a promotion and all of Torchwood, you must also recover that man. I would truly, _truly_ like to meet him."

Suzie smirked, leaning forward to kiss Harry. They pressed against each other, drinking each other in until she broke away playfully. "Sanchez has given me leave to handpick the members of my team. Come with me. We can apprehend John Hart and his pet together. Would you like that?"

Very much, apparently. He pulled her into his arms, kissed her aggressively, and then leapt to his feet, practically skipping out of her office.

**ooooooo**

**A/N: **Please review. Cheers!


	8. Divide and Conquer

**A/N: **I hope you're ready for this, it's the longest chapter yet. Allons-y!

**ooooooo**

To say Captain Jack Harkness had been surprised by the holographic message his partner sent him through their wrist straps when he was supposed to be in Yrderian custody would have been an exaggeration. John Hart couldn't be contained, at least not for long, by anything less than the Judoon, and to be honest if the Judoon ever got involved, John wouldn't be contained so much as executed on sight and what a waste that would be. No, Jack was not surprised John had escaped. Perhaps a bit mystified by the tidings delivered in John's message, tidings that made no sense whatsoever, but not surprised.

_"So maybe I'm overreacting," _John's hologram had evenly stated without so much as an indignant or needy complaint to declare his sudden return from imprisonment, which personally Jack found insulting. Getting stabbed in the back always warranted a proper temper tantrum and he had so been looking forward to John's. _"We always knew it would come to this. Never thought for a second it could last forever. Treachery's in the blood and all that. Still we had a long run, barrels of laughs, great sex, you think we can still be friends?" _The hologram had scoffed; obviously John thought he was in the lead and that just wasn't fair. Jack's duplicity had left him devastated; how could he have already recovered enough to spot an advantage? _"I want you to know I plan on taking very good care of your pretty little toy. I figure if he's good enough for you to dump me, he has to be compensation enough for the oportium you stole. Then again, I'm not quite ready to replace you yet, so maybe I'll just trade him in somewhere for a good fix after drowning in my sorrows. If you still want to talk about this, if you still think we can work it out, I'm sending you the coordinates to my current location. If you don't show up, or if you choose to bring an audience, you'll never see Ianto again."_

Not all that surprising, though a bit disappointing and somewhat confusing. Who the hell was Ianto? As much as Jack wanted to leave John, to move on with his life and bask in some new pleasures with other people, he'd been prepared for this moment ever since watching the Yrderian prison transport fly off with their latest prisoner. After all, Captain John Hart never gave up on anything without a fight and Jack liked to think he was worth fighting for. So out of consideration for his longtime partner, Jack had been willing to go on one last date, but now… the situation was no longer in his control. In fact, with an unstable, erratic John Hart suffering from inexplicable delusions, it could only end in needless drama, the kind it was healthiest to avoid.

On the other hand, curiosity had always been one of Jack's weaknesses. Who the hell was Ianto? And how entertaining would it be to see a jealous John Hart on top of a brokenhearted John Hart? Jack couldn't keep away and so he found himself teleporting into an old, rundown opera house with a massive if not dusty auditorium lit by an old chandelier with actual candles. Shadows flickered on the wall's colorful murals, the chairs' faded upholstery, and the stage curtain's heavy folds. Needless to say, the setting had an appropriately dark ambiance to fit John's disconsolate mood. Typical.

"A part of me almost wanted you to ignore the invite," John admitted, looking up at Jack from his seat in the third row. "If you're just avoiding me, that's one thing, but if you're actually in love with someone else, I don't think I could stand it. Tell me you came out of a genuine desire to see me again."

Jack rolled his eyes, heaving a sigh. He'd been deprived one good temper tantrum and now he had to handle the most pathetic creature to have ever entered the twenty-first century. "John, I came to apologize for abandoning you to the Yrderian police. After everything we've been through, you deserved better. But that's not going to change the fact we've been together for far too long now and could both do with a change. Expand our horizons and all that."

"Explains the team," John grumbled, sagging in his chair. If Jack didn't know any better, he'd guess the poor lovesick wretch had been drinking again, which was a shame since he was finally out of rehab. But that couldn't be the case; Jack had seen a drunken John Hart before and this wasn't quite it. Unless of course his guards had been packing something new. "Two weeks, though, love. You abandon me with the iciest farewell a bloke could ask for and in two short weeks you've got yourself a completely new life with a new toy and a sodding team. So full of yourself you don't even try masking your molecular structure, which led me straight to you. It's like you weren't even expecting me, like you'd forgotten I exist. That's the worst part, getting forgotten. You wouldn't actually forget me, would you?"

"What are you talking about?" Jack demanded, growing more confounded with each passing minute. Why must John be so irritatingly wacked that every time Jack tried leaving him he found new ways of holding on? Despite everything, Jack couldn't just ditch John in a state like this, even if he could toss him to the police. "Would you get a hold of yourself? First of all, I _did _have a genetic transfer to protect myself from your scanners and the transfer hasn't worn off yet. I just assumed you knew me well enough to guess where I was hiding. Second of all, I don't have a team, I've never worked with a team before, ever, I don't do teams. And thirdly, I don't have a new toy. I've been dodging the Time Agency these past two weeks; apparently they've struck a deal with some Lieutenant-General Sanchez of the twenty-first century U.N.I.T. to rid the galaxy of scum like us. Anyway, if I did have a new toy… Well, I have been meaning to try something a little more feminine, maybe flowery, but certainly not anything from 2011. Talk about a bad year."

John was staring at him intently, as if trying to gauge his sincerity and Jack openly held out his arms to help. He wasn't hiding anything, it was all true. But instead of clearing things up, his blatant honesty alarmed John. The man stood up and fiddled with his wrist strap, no longer pining pathetically but suddenly down to business. "You'd best come with me, Jack. I think we have a situation here. Could be fun. What do you say? Old time's sake?"

Jack shrugged. "One last date. That's what I came for."

**ooooooo**

The worst thing about imprisonment, Ianto thought as he sat cuffed to a bench in some alien cell, was having to wait for someone else's convenience and not being able to do anything about it. Two and a half hours had already passed, his wrists were sore and bleeding from futile escape attempts, and his hands had gone a bit numb. On the bright side, his head was no longer killing him from his little jaunt through space by means of an ex-Time Agent's vortex manipulator, whatever the hell that was, and in situations like these it was always best to dwell on the good news rather than the bad.

Right, he was trapped in a hideous, corrupted parallel world, onboard an alien spaceship belonging to Captain John Hart who no doubt planned on using him to win back the affections of a parallel Jack who in all likelihood wouldn't give a damn about him. But, hey! He didn't have a headache anymore, things were looking up! Please.

_Come on, Jack. Where are you?_

There finally came two pops and silver flashes beyond the bars of his cell and Ianto almost didn't mind. He had been sitting there for so long wallowing in a mixture of distress and boredom that any change, any development to his current predicament was welcome. He needed something else to think about and deliberate on other than Lisa, Owen, Tosh, and the hopelessness of it all. However, when he recognized John Hart looming towards him he immediately regretted his impatience. Jack was standing behind the captain, but it wasn't _his _Jack; there was something off about him, about his indifferent expression, slightly curious but not in the least bit concerned, and about his presence, too. His presence felt different, not quite as deep, not quite as arcane, as if there was nothing more to him than what was taken at face value.

As always, _his_ Jack had been right… As similar as someone could be to his counterpart in a parallel world, there would always be differences, agonizing differences that could drive you mad. Ianto shrank back, wishing he could reclaim the isolation, distress, and boredom he'd endured while waiting for John's return. He wasn't ready to face either of them yet.

"The man in the alley," John shouted, slamming the panel to open the cell's door and barging in like a rogue in the middle of a night raid. He was angry, furious, and Ianto braced himself as he drew a gun and pushed the muzzle painfully into his stomach. "Why did he look like Jack? Who the hell was he?"

"He was…" Ianto hesitated. John was literally on top of him, pressing him against the wall behind the bench, bruising him with the gun, ready to shoot him, but in need of answers. If he was smart, his first assumption would be that Jack had crossed his own timeline, an occurrence that could easily have devastating implications, though Ianto was no expert. The only thing he could say for certain was that John knew there were two Jacks on the loose and more than likely wouldn't take well to a discussion on parallel worlds. "He was just a fan."

"Wrong answer," John said, cocking the gun. Ianto caught his breath, feeling his heart hammering blood through his arteries, wondering if they would soon run dry, when suddenly the ship itself shuddered so violently that it knocked John backwards and nearly toppled Jack onto the floor. Ianto himself remained cuffed to the bench, but that didn't deter him from grabbing the handrail and holding on tightly as John caught his balance. "What the hell?"

"Malfunction?" Jack asked lightly while John holstered his gun and rushed out of the cell towards the front of the compartment. After pressing several buttons on a second panel, one that opened the door to the ship's cockpit, John disappeared inside, leaving Ianto to count his blessings. Malfunction or not, it couldn't have happened at a better time.

"Right, while you're sorting that out, I think I'll take over with the interrogation," Jack called after his partner before turning to regard Ianto. He had the same face, the same voice, the same dashing poise, even the same clothes, but once again it struck Ianto how different he was from the head of Torchwood. There was no mistaking them, but then again John had been fooled… at least up until now.

"So," Jack said, slipping inside the cell and sauntering towards Ianto. "You're sleeping with my impersonator, that much is obvious." Ianto held back a derisive laugh. It seemed absurd that _his _Jack could ever be an impersonation of anything, much less of _this_ Jack who was himself nothing more than a bland, insipid imitation, not that he had the decency of noticing. "Want a taste of the real thing?"

Fortunately Ianto was spared the unpleasant task of answering as a familiar if not entirely welcome voice sounded over the ship's intercom. "Attention all occupants aboard the Yrderian prison transport, this is Suzie Costello of the Unified Intelligence Taskforce. Your ship is encroaching on Earth territory and has been taken into U.N.I.T. custody. Captain John Hart, you are wanted by the Time Agency for leaking confidential information concerning the fifty-first century and by the People's Republic for crimes against humanity."

"Would you listen to that?" John stalked back into the cargo hold looking moderately piqued. "She makes it sound so much worse than it is. So I planted a few bombs, hacked a few systems, filched random technology, even aided two or three of their enemies, that doesn't make me a war criminal." He glared at Ianto. "You lot, just because you're finally stretching out into the galaxy, you think you can narrow the term 'humanity' to solely comprise twenty-first century Earthlings. It's insulting."

"Uh, John, my teleport's not working," Jack said, examining his wrist strap as the ship began rising by its own volition. Ianto tensed, glancing at the ceiling, wondering why they were being dragged upwards. Suzie… That woman was mad, or at least she had been mad in his world. What were the chances she was relatively sane here? After all, it would only be fair, given what he was going through right now.

"There's a zeppelin directly above us," John explained, glancing down at his own wrist strap. "It's caught us in a tractor beam that's jamming our hardware even as it pulls us in. Got to hand it to Suzie. At least she's efficient."

"You mean we're sitting ducks," Ianto helplessly deduced. Whether or not Suzie was sane, she was still a part of U.N.I.T. and Jack had already determined that U.N.I.T. had been compromised. She couldn't be trusted. Absolutely no one could be trusted. If he was going to be handed over from one captor to another, especially one working alongside Harold Saxon, an assassin his Jack blatantly feared, he had to stress the point not to trust anyone.

"No fear, Eye Candy," John said without looking up from his wrist strap. "Jack and I are on a date. The night's still young, we've got an imposter to track down, and you're our ticket to finding him. Not going to let anything happen to you. Granted, this is an unforeseen little snag, but nothing we can't handle, and I personally won't complain if the date runs overtime." He glanced at Jack. "Anything at all to spend more time with you."

"Can't say the feeling's mutual," Jack replied, shaking his head in resignation. "Let me tell you something, partner, if this is some kind of elaborate scheme designed to ensnare me, it won't work. After tonight we're through. And you better be grateful Eye Candy here is so adorable, otherwise I'd be tempted to stand back and watch you get yourself out of your own damn mess." Ianto flushed, wishing they would stop belittling him like that.

"There we go," John said as his wrist strap projected the holographic image of a certain dark haired lady dressed in black leather. He grinned. "Suzie! Long time, no see. How's that promotion coming?"

Suzie smirked, glancing to her right as if acknowledging someone on her end before looking back at John. "Very well, actually. After tonight I'll be the head of Torchwood and you'll be rotting in a high-security vault with absolutely no chance of escape."

"I always love a challenge."

"Don't I know it," Suzie acknowledged with an edge in her voice that assured Ianto no matter what John said they weren't getting out of this. She was good at her job. She was brilliant. They were screwed. "You know what your problem is, John? You rely far too much on your special persuasive abilities. My guess is you managed to seduce the Yrderian guards before breaking out and stealing their vessel, no?"

Ianto and Jack both glanced sharply at John, who just shrugged nonchalantly. "As it happens, seduction's proven to be a consistent and effective means of securing one's freedom. Why question it?" Well, Ianto thought glumly, obviously because Suzie Costello found it so amusing. She was clearly savoring their capture, confident they weren't about to slip through her fingers.

"Then you're not aware that Yrderian prison transports have several features available to their guards in the event of such a breakout. I mean, obviously your guiles neutralized them before they had a chance to utilize those features, so they weren't a problem. Until now." John faltered, looking up at Jack and sharing a moment of alarm with him. Suzie went on. "Because now I'm working alongside a specialist who can easily tap into those features, activate them, and quell whatever resistance you might be planning before you have the chance to so much as say 'see you in hell.' Observe."

The compartment was suddenly flooding with gas. It sprayed everywhere, filling each and every corner, thick as smoke. Ianto coughed as it maliciously pervaded his lungs, not just suffocating him but also beleaguering him with nightmarish hallucinations. For just a moment he felt like he was standing alone in a dark alley where the pouring rain could not wash away the blood soaking his face and hands. The image terrified him and he screamed.

"Suzie, you bitch!" John was also screaming. Jack, too.

_Jack…_

Ianto tried calling out to him, not to the Jack of this world, but to _his _Jack. Where was he? Ianto needed him… He couldn't breathe.

**ooooooo**

It was going on midnight. The scrap yard was dark, silent, and for the most part utterly devoid of life, though Gwen knew Jack was sulking out there somewhere. Since knocking Pete unconscious for his comments about the Master and the Blitz, he had angrily stormed outside with barely a word and now she had commissioned herself to finding him. With a torch in hand, she carefully ambled through the valleys of refuse and waste, hoping not to scratch herself against a rusty metal stake or something. She was on a parallel world, up against John Hart, U.N.I.T., and apparently evil incarnate. The last thing she needed was what Tosh would call "an incident with a toaster," which she was all too likely to face in a place like this.

Midnight came and went before Gwen finally spotted Jack standing with his back to her, an odd blue light flashing around him along with an unpleasant buzzing drone. As she crossed the distance separating them, he turned to greet her wordlessly, his expression closed and far away. In his hand he held what appeared to be an enormous, highly advanced, alien pen, the source of the buzzing and blue light, which he was presently aiming at his wrist strap. Lacking anything better to say, Gwen pointed at it and asked, "What's that?"

"The Doctor's sonic screwdriver," Jack said, looking down at it with a fond smile, the first sign of delight Gwen had seen from him since entering the Tardis. "I found it sticking up out of the console. Kind of surprised Mickey didn't mention it. He's been living there long enough, he should've noticed." He offered it to Gwen, though she hesitated a tick before picking it up and holding it tentatively beneath the torchlight. Like the Tardis itself, she sensed it was something more than just another scrap of technology. It was important, with sentimental value, at least to Jack and for that she didn't want to accidently damage it.

"Who would have thought aliens needed screwdrivers?"

Jack laughed, taking it back and reactivating it once again over his wrist strap. "That's exactly what I thought when I first heard of it. But let me tell you something, Gwen Cooper, sonic screwdrivers are considerably underrated. You can unhinge just about any door in a matter of seconds with these things. You can even reconstruct faulty equipment without breaking a sweat, though it does get confusing given the number of settings we're talking about. I should've asked the Doctor for a primer on this thing when I had the chance; trial and error just isn't my cup of tea."

"Is that what you're trying to do, then?" Gwen asked, watching as he bathed his wrist strap in the screwdriver's blue light. "Reconstruct faulty equipment?" She didn't know much about the scope of Jack's wrist strap, its various functions, or why he rarely employed it, but given its close affiliation with John Hart and ex-Time Agents, she assumed it could be used to help find Ianto and therefore prayed the screwdriver could fix whatever might be wrong with it.

"When I last saw the Doctor, he scrambled the base-code to the teleportation device," Jack said as he changed the screwdriver's settings. "If I can get it working again, all I need to do is adjust the signal to correspond with this reality, isolate John's wrist strap, or maybe just track his molecular structure, that seems to be popular here, and then teleport myself to Ianto." Gwen bit her lip as Jack swore in frustration. "Of course, that's easier said than done. Damn, I always thought the Doctor's achievements came from the mere luxury of owning one of these, but he just makes it look easy. It's not working."

Gwen hesitated, knowing perfectly well how Jack felt about parallel worlds and even understanding his reasons, but all the same… the temptations were just too enticing. Jack wanted Ianto back… maybe this would finally convince him. "You know, if Toshiko was here, she could get it working for you."

Jack abruptly glanced up at her and she could tell he was actually considering her proposal, but then he shook his head and got back to the task at hand, somehow even colder than before. "I'm sorry, Gwen. But I seriously doubt it."

**ooooooo**

Harold Saxon's personal laboratory within the New Cybus Industries' corporate building had been largely deserted for the remainder of the night. Lights dimmed, computers powered down, chemicals stored away, and various apparatuses all left unmanned, only two broken young women lingered in the shadows. One was a radiant angel who literally glowed like the sun, painfully entangled in Saxon's evil web. The other was a lost and trampled slave who spent her every waking moment fighting back tears of anguish, tears of hopeless despair.

_"Trust me on this…"_

Trust meant faith. Faith meant hope. It was a conviction, a willingness to believe in the honesty of another human being. Toshiko lacked that, she lacked everything but even more deprivation. So when she looked at Harold Saxon, Pete Tyler, and all their devote followers, she did not see trustworthy heroes or kings, but demons and monsters. They were no different from the terrorists who coerced her to steal official state secrets by threatening her mother's life. They were terrorists themselves. And unless Toshiko wanted to spend the rest of her miserable existence trapped in a windowless cell, she was obliged to work for them.

She lingered in the laboratory because she had nowhere else to go. Saxon might have liberated her from the facility in which she had been previously detained, but only to cage her in a far prettier dungeon where her particular skills and insights could be put to use. As long as she remained in the corporate building where she was provided with work, food, and living quarters, she could dwell in relative comfort, but the moment she stepped foot outside she would revert back into a wanted criminal; she would be hunted down and locked away forever. Her choice was simple but… lately Toshiko had begun wondering if it was worth her soul.

Standing in the murky laboratory alone with the radiant angel, for what else could she be?, Toshiko felt herself trembling. As a child she had been praised for her ingenuity and as a teenager she became her mother's sole remaining hope for a better life. There had been so many opportunities… Toshiko chose a university in London and before she knew it she and her mother were living out their dreams. At least until the terrorists discovered her… From that day on, Toshiko dreamt of nothing. Her life became a waking nightmare. She hadn't seen her mother in years, she didn't even know if her mother was still alive. She didn't think she could bear it any longer.

But then… just this morning Saxon brought the crippled angel into the laboratory along with countless attendants he paid to ensure her captivity. Now the attendants were gone and even Saxon himself had retired, leaving Toshiko to watch over, guard, and supervise the experiment. How could they ask it of her? How could they expose her to this? For so long Toshiko had been quiet, acquiescent, obedient, basically dead inside… But now as she stood face to face with the golden angel, she felt the first kindles of life resurging within her… as if awakening to the world… and it broke her heart all over again.

There were so many questions Toshiko wanted to ask. Are you in pain? What can I call you? Where did you come from? Is there anything I can do to help you? To save you? The angel's eyes were like starlight, two beautiful, unseeing spheres that gazed unblinking into the darkness. They belonged in the heavens, far away from the cruelties and depravities of the Earth. Toshiko trembled. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

Suddenly the angel lowered her shining eyes and looked down at Toshiko. And for the first time in what felt like several lifetimes, Toshiko sensed kindness, compassion… love… This was what Saxon meant to destroy. Just another sacrifice to him, but the angel was still holding on, still radiant and alive with steadfast purity, the only clean thing left in the universe. And yet she was watching over Toshiko, the most undeserving of all wretches. How could she not be an angel?

"Toshiko Sato…" Her voice echoed like the trickling waters of a small cascade. "You saved the lives of millions. The lost child found by Captain Jack, just like the rest of us, always swept off our feet. He'll come for us, Toshiko. You won't be forgotten."

"I can free you," Toshiko said, gazing up at her in awe. The angel hadn't spoken this much since earlier that afternoon when she last called out to a mysterious Jack, a cry for help that had angered Saxon considerably. This Jack… whoever he was, he gave the angel hope. But hope wasn't enough. Toshiko could not place her hope, what little of it remained, in this Captain Jack, no matter who he was. If she wanted to help the angel, she had to do something now while no one else was watching. "Let me free you."

"Now is not the time," the angel replied. "The Hadron Web kills those who approach it, but Jack is coming, Tosh, and he will not forget you. There is a time for everything. You must wait for him to come."

Toshiko shook her head. "How can I believe that? There's no one coming. There never has been." Tears formed in the angel's eyes. They reminded Toshiko to see past the dazzling radiance and recognize the atrocity. Every strand of the Hadron Web was a steel javelin skewering her… her arms, her legs, her entire body should be bleeding… She was in so much pain and Toshiko couldn't stand the sight of it. "If I can save you now then my dying breath will have more life in it than it ever has before."

The angel looked back up, once again staring past Toshiko into the darkness. "No, it's not the right time. Where are you, Jack? Where are you?"

Toshiko started towards the Hadron Web. She had meaning now. She could do this. She could make amends and finally find the peace she'd been so desperately longing for.

"I am the Bad Wolf," the angel said. "I am the Bad Wolf. I am the Bad Wolf."

**ooooooo**

Gwen whirled around the moment she heard it. "I know that sound." And she would recognize it anywhere. The cyclical rasping, like some unearthly machine wheezing over and over and over again. It was the sound that marked Jack's startling disappearance last year, a disappearance that Torchwood had barely recovered from. To this day it still haunted Gwen as it clearly haunted Jack. He looked up in shock, nearly dropping the sonic screwdriver.

"But that's the Tardis!"

Gwen didn't need him to elaborate. Once upon a time the Tardis had taken off with Jack in tow. Now she feared it would do the same with Rhys. She couldn't let that happen, not here, not in a parallel world, not like this. So she ran. She ran faster than she ever had before with Jack sprinting every bit as anxiously at her side. They could both hear each other shouting.

The police box was flashing in the distance, not unlike a lighthouse. To Gwen's horror, it began fading, blinking, ebbing here and there, back and forth, from this point in time to another. They weren't going to make it no matter how fast they ran. They were just too far away.

"RHYS!" Gwen staggered, stumbled, and fell to her knees as the Tardis vanished into thin air.

**ooooooo**

**A/N: **Since watching "Fragments," Tosh has become one of my favorite characters. I shudder to think what she went through and cannot stress enough how glad I am Jack finally rescued her. Anyway, I'm looking forward to ample reviews, if you're willing to write them please. Cheers!


	9. Quickening

**A/N: **Just a fair warning… I scared myself writing this chapter. Allons-y!

**ooooooo**

"What the fuck is happening?" Rhys shouted as the Tardis convulsed wildly, shaking up and down, spinning left and right, twisting, plunging, and shuddering as it underwent heavy turbulence that tossed around those inside like bits of food in a blender. The console had come alive; it blinked and droned vivaciously, the piston in the central column pumping up and down with more vigor than Martha had ever seen it do before, as if it was trying to make up for lost time.

She gripped the console tightly, hanging on with a practiced ease that neither poor Rhys nor even Mickey could manage. After all, they didn't quite have the experience she did with the rowdy ship, though to be fair they were certainly better off than Pete and Jake, both of whom were still bound and therefore unable to catch themselves as the Tardis bucked like an angry bull at a rodeo.

"This is it!" Martha shouted, laughing in delight. "We're traveling! The Tardis isn't dying after all! Mickey, it's working!" She glanced across the console, meeting his startled gaze with his partial smile and incredulous expression, as if he couldn't believe something as remarkable as this was finally answering his prayers. Since that morning when Martha first stepped into the Hub back in Cardiff the world had felt so bleak and miserable, a feeling that only spiraled outward when the Rift opened, dragging them into Pete's World where everything seemed so much worse. But now… Now the Tardis was singing, literally singing, rippling with the most beautiful music in the universe, a song so very few were attuned to. Martha had never been happier to hear it in her life.

"It can't be working!" Rhys protested, his face red and beaded with sweat as he practically climbed on top of the console in his attempts to hold on. "This is mad, Martha! What about Gwen! We can't just leave her behind! We have to go back!" As if that was a viable option. While Rhys' objections weren't entirely unfounded and they could certainly do with Jack and Gwen's company, Martha just wasn't able to concern herself with their absence. There was so much spirit sizzling in the Tardis, so much rebellion, resolve, defiance, and plain old tenacity that always inspired the best in her. The adventures, the wonders, the belief in the impossible… This was the greatest, most natural high in existence… this living… not just enduring day to day, but actually living. She could sense life all around her and it was a thrill, it was brilliant. Fantastic. The most important thing the Doctor ever taught any of them… the meaning of life, the whole point of it all, was to be as fantastic as you could possibly be.

The Tardis pitched forward, landing heavily and abruptly so that Rhys and Mickey were both thrown to the floor where they landed roughly on top of Pete and Jake. Meanwhile Martha ran around the console to check on the ship's monitor, hoping to find a clue as to their current whereabouts. That clue, however, turned out to be nothing more than a golden light pouring up out of the screen like sunlight. They must be hovering over a star or something.

Squealing joyfully, Martha clambered around the men toward the Tardis doors. Mickey was struggling to untie Jake, Rhys was trying to catch his breath, and Pete was fighting uselessly against his bonds, but they all stopped to gawk at her as she pranced by. "Blimey, it's been forever since I've seen something like this. You're not going to believe it." She threw open the Tardis doors, confident in the ship's ability to shelter them from the vacuum that was outer space, and found herself gazing directly at…

The inside of a laboratory?

They had landed in what appeared to be, of all places, an abandoned science lab, but Martha knew better than to let it disappoint her. It might not be a great, big, dazzling star, but the Tardis was always like that, random and unpredictable. She would still be faced with some sort of phenomenon, that was a given, she just didn't know what it was yet and the mysteries, the discoveries, they were every bit as exhilarating as luminous balls of gas and plasma.

Taking a cautious step outside, Martha scanned her surroundings. It was definitely a science lab with several computers, various instruments, shelves containing test tubes, beakers, burettes, and racks of chemicals, microscopes, sinks, and incubators. Oh, the Doctor would love this, wherever he was. But then…

At the other end of the laboratory where most of its light was generated, Martha caught sight of the atrocity. A young blonde woman was pinned three or four meters up in the air by various metal rods; the rods pierced her body at different angles, like the pins jabbing voodoo dolls; they forced her legs out and her arms upward, as if she was stretching or maybe trying to fly. The rods surrounded her like a warped, misshapen cage, a web entwined with cables that connected to a peculiar grandfather clock.

_She's the star,_ Martha realized, the star to which the Tardis had brought them. She was glowing with such beautiful incandescence that the sky itself would have eagerly made room for her, had it only possessed room enough in all its vast immensity to accommodate her. She was resplendent…

Standing between Martha and the starlit prisoner, there was another woman, an Asian scientist who could have used several more pounds and a decent haircut. Tears were spilling down her face, her despair was palpable, and she was staring back at Martha and the Tardis fearfully. Toshiko Sato. It took Martha far longer than she would have liked to admit to recognize the pale, skeletal woman who in her reality had been a healthy and beloved member of Torchwood. Obviously Pete's World had not been kind to poor Tosh.

"Oh my god, Rose, what have those bastards done to you?"

Martha glanced over her shoulder and spotted Mickey, Jake, and Rhys, sans Pete, creeping out of the Tardis. Upon spotting the golden figure, they all faltered, choked, grimaced, and cowered, even Jake whose surprise was as genuine as Mickey and Rhys'. If he had known about this atrocity, until now he had never actually been exposed to it, face to face. Witnessing this… it was like witnessing the Toclafane descending upon Earth all over again with orders to decimate a tenth of the population. It had the same feel to it; this was without a doubt the Master's handiwork and Martha forced herself to harden. She couldn't stumble now, not so soon after rediscovering her own inner strength, her own steadfast resolve.

_"I'm coming back." _That was her promise when she teleported off the Valiant, leaving the Doctor, Jack, and her family in Saxon's hands. She had known what she needed to do and as difficult as it was, she had hardened herself to it, solidifying into the toughest young medical student the world had ever seen. Well, she wasn't a medical student anymore. She was a doctor now, fully qualified, engaged to be married, and a force to be reckoned with whether or not a certain Time Lord had her back.

Mickey, however, was a different story entirely. The sight of Rose suspended and broken, hurt and helpless, so beautiful but also so terrible, engulfed him in a wave of desperation. "Oh my god, Rose, oh my god!" He flew towards her, pushing past Martha, ignoring Jake's pleas and warnings to stop, transfixed only on Rose. Rose… Rose Tyler… Martha looked up at her, amazed by her impressive majesty. Was it any wonder the Doctor loved her so much?

"No, don't!" Tosh scrambled forward, throwing herself against Mickey, as that was the only means a woman her size had of hindering someone with Mickey's physical strengths and reckless behavior. "She's caught in a Hadron Web, there's nothing you can do. Touching it's lethal. It'll kill you."

"It hasn't killed her!" Mickey objected, shoving Tosh away but fortunately not in time. Jake and Rhys both stepped up to the plate and charged him, holding him down before he went and did something that got himself killed. He thrashed about angrily but together Jake and Rhys proved themselves more capable than Tosh at restraining him.

"Calm down, Mickey, it's all right," Jake whispered reassuringly as Martha scuttled over to check on Tosh. After having been flung so callously aside, she had turned away from them, cringing more like an abused child than a competent scientist working for some of the most prestigious enterprises in the world. "We're here now, Mickey," Jake said. "You're not alone anymore, we'll get through this and we'll get Rose through this, you and me, same as always."

Mickey slumped in defeat as Martha gently touched Tosh's shoulder, gently turned her back around. Tosh wouldn't meet her gaze; her eyes were fixed on the floor, her face was flushed, she seemed to be burning with shame and humiliation. "Are you hurt?" Martha asked and Tosh quickly shook her head. "That's good. My name's Martha. I know who you are, Tosh, and you have to believe me, I'm a friend." Given what she had seen already, Martha couldn't believe Tosh was working for Saxon by choice and for the sakes of Jack, Gwen, and Ianto, and for the memories of Owen and the Toshiko Sato she knew, she would do whatever was necessary to help this poor woman.

Tosh looked up at her timidly. "I was going to save her. I would've thrown my life away to do it and that would've been the only worthy thing I've ever done. The only thing I'd ever be good for. But then you came and now I can't…" Tears were soaking face, she was falling apart. "Oh, why did you have to come here?"

Martha clenched her jaw, easing Tosh around toward the three men who may not have been latched together anymore, but who nevertheless remained close to catch Mickey in case he happened to relapse back into insanity. They couldn't afford to act rashly here; the evil in this laboratory, the vile sin committed by Saxon, was draining them of all reason, driving them to hasty selflessness in their attempts to rescue Rose. First Tosh and then Mickey… who would be next? They were going to save Rose, there wasn't any question about that, but first they needed to ascertain the proper means of doing so. Therefore, Martha regarded them all sternly. "Let me make myself perfectly clear, there will be absolutely no throwing away lives while I'm in command, and until we rendezvous with Jack, I'm assuming command." Tosh glanced up at her sharply.

"Jack?"

"He's our captain," Martha clarified, gesturing around the group, which was apparently the best thing she could have done under those circumstances. Jack's name must have meant something to Tosh; she didn't exactly brighten at the mention of it, but her reception certainly warmed. Her shame, fear, and distress began diminishing as curiosity took precedence. That was a good sign and Martha nodded encouragingly. "Toshiko Sato, this is Rhys Williams, Mickey Smith, and Jake…" She hesitated, peering sideways at their team's latest addition. "Sorry. I don't think I've been told…"

"Jake Simmonds," he said somewhat distracted as he gripped Mickey's hand and stared up at Rose. She had them both mesmerized, a fact Martha hoped would prevent the Master from influencing Jake further. Words alone could not jolt someone out of hypnosis, but the sight of a loved one in such a state as this might very well do the trick. Meanwhile, Rhys was endeavoring to cope with all these bizarre developments despite being strained and way out of his depth. After all, he hadn't signed up for any of this but it was like Jack said. These things _were_ possible to get used to.

"Hello," he said, addressing Tosh with forced pleasantry. He reached out a hand, grabbed hers and shook it halfheartedly as they both trembled in equal agitation. "We've actually met before. Parallel world. You worked with my wife. Hell, you were at my wedding."

"Oh," was all she could say, glancing at Martha at a loss.

"Right, let's try keeping talk of parallel worlds down to a minimum," Martha suggested, turning to examine the Hadron Web. The rods and power lines were vibrating industriously and though she wasn't an expert, they appeared to be manipulating the golden energy enveloping Rose into some sort of current that gushed around them. The current forked into several streams that flowed away from Rose via the rods puncturing her arms and legs, and back into Rose via the rods puncturing her torso. It was a circuit… but as a doctor, Martha immediately associated it with the human circulatory system. Arteries pumped blood out of the heart and veins pumped blood back into the heart. Now, if the arteries and veins were made up by the rods, then the heart had to be either Rose or… or the grandfather clock.

As Martha pondered and scrutinized these things, all around her there were voices, so many voices, Mickey's, Tosh's, Jake's, and Rhys'. She tried blocking them out, she was trying to think, but they were always there in the background, reminding her of the situation's urgency, reminding her not to allow her focus, her concentration to mutate into obsession, not to allow her fascination to immerse her, charm her, and consequently enthrall her. The web itself was hypnotic. Gazing at Rose, how many people had been driven to madness?

_"Can she see us? Does she know we're here?"_

_"She was speaking earlier. She said Jack is coming. That he can save us."_

_"My god, I never once thought… Pete lied to us… He lied to all of us, Mickey…"_

_"There's nothing we can do here."_

_"We're not leaving Rose!"_

_"This Captain Jack… He's the one she's waiting for. If you could just find him, if you could just bring him here…"_

_"I don't even know where here is!"_

_"Cybus Industries… One of Mr. Saxon's private laboratories."_

_"That's the mad scientist, isn't it? Mr. Saxon, the evil genius?"_

_"Who else could do something like this?"_

Rose Tyler, suspended off the ground by Hadron power lines, was soaked in golden effervescence. Her eyes were like stars, staring past Martha into nothingness, or maybe into all of eternity. And just by looking at her, Martha herself caught a glimpse of the raw power of space and time eight year old children of Gallifrey were exposed to when initiated into their Academy. Inspiring. Frightening. Maddening. Oh, so very maddening.

Rose wasn't the heart. The heart pumped the blood, it kept the system circulating, it kept the blood flowing. Rose would never subject herself to this. She was the prisoner. Which meant the heart had to be the grandfather clock. The Master had hooked her up to the clock and if Martha wanted to free her, if the power lines themselves were lethal to the touch, then the clock was the only possible answer. If she could deactivate it…

The entire Vortex. Eight year old children of Gallifrey were taken to a gap in the fabric of reality where they could gaze into the Vortex. Rose Tyler was swimming in it. That's what this was, that's what she had become. The Vortex. And by keeping her his prisoner, the Master had chained up time and space itself. The pressure was building. Like a volcano it was building and if Rose broke free from the Hadron Web then nothing could stop her. Nothing but her own strength of will and if she lost control, then the volcano would erupt. What would happen to the universe if the Vortex erupted? What would happen?

"Martha?"

She jumped, whirling around in surprise to find Rhys at her side, worriedly shaking her arm. They were all staring at her; Rhys, Mickey, Jake, and Tosh. They were waiting for her, expecting her to do something, to make some sort of command. She hadn't noticed… she was sweating, panting, her heart was racing… how long had Rose held her entranced?

Dazed, Martha blinked several times before pointing at the clock. "Right then, my guess is… that's the device charging the Hadron Web. Tosh, with me. Rhys, Mickey, Jake, just… stand back a moment." She hesitated, waiting for a reluctant Tosh to step forward, and then pulled the hyperspectral scanner Jack had given her earlier that evening off her belt. Activating it, she eased her way around the rods and power lines and approached the clock. The scanner's readings immediately confirmed her initial suspicions; the clock was definitely alien and operating on maximum power. It had to be in order to contain Rose.

"Oh my god," Martha said as the scanner began picking up and dispensing more data than she could feasibly process. She couldn't keep up with it all but she only needed to catch one tiny nugget of information, one small error, to fully comprehend what she was looking at. According to the scanner, the clock was paradoxical, hence the error. According to the scanner, the clock had incompatible dimensions. It was bigger on the inside.

**ooooooo**

Ianto woke with a start, gasping for breath, panicking, though he couldn't remember why. There had been rain, so much torrential rain. He still heard it beating around him and he still felt the blood dripping down his face, soaking his hands. For a moment the rain itself was bleeding.

He was in a white room, sitting slumped against the transparent and cylindrical container that currently confined him. It resembled glass, but as he struggled to his feet and slammed his palms against the cold, smooth surface, it neglected to shatter or even vibrate. Within seconds his palms were stinging painfully while the glass remained solid and intact. Cylindrical, stretching from the floor to the ceiling, barely a meter in diameter, it offered Ianto very little room and no visible means of escape. He shouted in fear and frustration.

"Easy there, Eye Candy."

Swinging around, Ianto spotted John Hart two meters away sitting on the hard white floor of his very own cylindrical cage, knees bent in order to fit. And two meters beyond him, trapped in a third cylindrical cage, Jack Harkness stood leaning against the glass. Both men appeared utterly bored and only mildly concerned, a fact that infuriated Ianto. John glanced at him calmly. "You're still suffering the affects of Yrderian Prison Gas. Got the worst of it too, since you were the one in the cell. Just breathe in the air, Eye Candy, and it'll wear off."

"I am going to kill you," Ianto assured him, slowly catching his breath. He felt so dizzy and disoriented; where were they? What day was it? Why was this happening to him?

"You're going to have to stand in line, Eye Candy," Jack said, but it wasn't Jack. Ianto glanced at him, recognized him, and understood who he was, or rather more importantly who he wasn't, but that only made him feel lonelier, farther away from home, more isolated, and powerless.

On the white wall across from them, a door rapidly slid open and gave entry to two cheerful, frighteningly familiar individuals. One was a handsome, fair haired gentleman wearing a white shirt and loose tie beneath a certain World War II greatcoat that was a bit large on him. Jack bristled at the sight of it. Next to the gentleman was a dark haired woman wearing a black leather uniform. Long ago she had been graceful and sophisticated, but Ianto remembered her mostly as an embittered, murderous corpse trying to kill Gwen. Death by Torchwood. Now she looked bright and happy, arms locked with Harold Saxon. Neither of them so much as glanced at the ex-Time Agents, but approached Ianto purposefully, their eyes gleaming. He tensed, falling back against the glass, wariest of Saxon because he knew how much his Jack feared the man.

"So!" John said, jumping to his feet and rubbing his hands together. "Suzie! I believe congratulations are in order. Though it wasn't really you who caught me, now was it. Be fair. You said yourself you're working alongside a specialist. That you, sir? Must be you. Have to be honest, though, aside from Jack no one in this century can pull off that coat. Mind you, if the smell rubs off we might be in business."

Suzie eyed John in amusement, but as for Saxon, it was as if he couldn't even hear the lecherous prisoner. He walked right up to Ianto's cylindrical confines and placed a hand on the glass, looking in with deep, profound, piercing eyes that were as ancient and shrouded as Jack's, if not even more so. Ianto couldn't meet them; he averted his gaze quickly as Saxon asked, "How are you feeling? A bit woozy, I imagine. Don't worry, it'll pass."

"What do you want?" Ianto demanded, chilled to the bone by Saxon's pleasantries. The man couldn't be trusted and Ianto couldn't afford to lower his guard, but something in Saxon's voice guaranteed him that wasn't the scientist's objective. Saxon wasn't cajoling him, but rather patronizing him and it was intimidating.

"You came through the Void," Saxon said quietly, a smile playing on his lips. "Which makes you special, delightful, a rare treat." That caught Jack and John's attention; they both glanced at Ianto with fresh interest. "Think of all the possibilities," Saxon continued. "Parallel worlds… They're like playgrounds." Ianto cringed; 'playground' certainly wasn't the word Jack had used to describe it nor was it the word that came to Ianto's mind when he reflected on the day's events. Saxon chuckled. "Or maybe dollhouses. You, my friend, are like a toy from someone else's dollhouse and, breaking the laws of time and space, you've managed to find your way into mine. But you're not the first. There are others like you. Mickey Smith, Jackie Tyler, and my personal favorite, pretty little Rose."

"Rose?" John sounded shocked. "Rose Tyler? She's from a parallel world?"

"Well, _that_ explains a few things," Jack grumbled.

"And now there's you," Saxon carried on, still ignoring the other prisoners. His main concern was with Ianto and he refused to let anyone distract him, which unnerved Ianto considerably. He glanced over at the other Jack, foolishly hoping the captain would somehow magically transform into hisJack from his world and take care of this whole problem in a cinch. But he didn't. "I want you to tell me your name," Saxon said. "Unless, of course, you prefer Eye Candy."

"Ianto Jones," he tersely replied, not remotely interested in how Saxon had heard about _that_.

"Good boy," Saxon said, laughing. "If you keep playing nice like this, I'll be sure to make it worth your while." That didn't comfort Ianto whatsoever. "Let me be honest, Ianto, this playground's been getting rather tiresome as of late, which is why toys like you from other playgrounds are so sweet and refreshing. I might start a collection. But first thing's first. Rose and I have been playing a little game of dress-up and she wants a different partner. She asked for one in particular today. Someone named Jack." Ianto couldn't help gulping and try as he might he couldn't keep from shaking, a reaction that obviously pleased Saxon. "Very, very good. You know where I can find him, then."

"Go to hell," Ianto snapped, hatred bubbling beneath his skin. The bastard knew about Jack, parallel worlds, and Rose, the girl Torchwood had apparently come all this way to rescue. He was sickening and inhuman, without a doubt inhuman; no human could terrify Jack the way Saxon did. Jack had called him armed, dangerous, and insane. He wasn't exaggerating, as Ianto was starting to see for himself. And for as long as he could, Ianto vowed to protect Jack from this nightmare.

Unfortunately, that was far easier said than done, especially since John chose that moment to carry on with the age-old tradition of looking out for number one. "I can find him for you."

"No!" Ianto twisted toward John desperately, falling against the glass. "Don't! You can't help him, you can't even think about helping him, he's too dangerous. You can't trust him!" John wasn't listening. His gaze was fixed on Saxon, who glanced back and forth between the two in amusement.

"Oh?" He unclasped his arm from Suzie's and approached the rogue's cylindrical prison.

"Yeah, what do you reckon I was doing with Eye Candy over there?" John asked as Saxon paused directly across from him. "Mistook his Jack for my Jack." He nodded at the other captain, who waved nonchalantly when Saxon peered his way. "Two Captain Jacks. Wouldn't have thought the universe was big enough for that. No matter. You let me go, I'll track down the copy for you, and then we can exchange. You give me my Jack, I'll give you Eye Candy's, everyone's happy. Deal?"

"No!" Ianto objected and at least this time he wasn't the only one.

"Now, just wait a minute," Jack said, pushing up off the glass and running a hand through his hair. "John, don't think I don't know where you're going with this. You and I, we're not going to happen, not ever, even if you do somehow manage to secure my freedom, which you won't, because no one exchanges me for anyone, least of all a different edition of myself. It's insulting, and what do you want _him _for, anyway, when you've already got me?" He glared at Saxon, seemingly offended.

Suzie rolled her eyes. "Don't be stupid, captain." She focused on John. "Well, I can't say letting you go so soon after finally arresting you is high on my list of priorities, but I do just so happen to possess a certain pair of stably bonded, deadlock sealable bangles that if worn by you and Jack will link you together permanently. He won't ever be able to leave you again."

"What?" Jack sounded horrified even as John's eyes lit up.

"I like the sound of that," he thanked her, glancing at Saxon. "What do you say? It's a good deal. Makes you happy, makes me happy, makes them both miserable."

"Go ahead, then!" Ianto spat, slamming his fist against the glass. John, Saxon, Jack, and Suzie all turned to him in surprise and he nodded furiously. "You just try and capture Jack. You won't succeed. He's not like anyone you've ever met before, trust me, you don't know what you're getting yourself into."

"Listen to that passion," Saxon said, turning his back on John, facing Ianto completely. "So much rage and hatred coupled with faith, fear, and loyalty, overshadowed by helplessness and vulnerability." Ianto huffed and stood his ground as Saxon loomed forward. "That's humanity for you. So many conflicting emotions and they really are fun to play with, fun to mold and manipulate. The truth is, Ianto Jones, your kind has a very great capacity to feel. The spectrum of human sensations is insurmountable, which is such a pathetic waste when you think about it, because as a species you make up in your wide array of emotions what your planet lacks in its stimulant deficiencies. Humans have the potential to experience so much more than what Earth has to offer. The joys and pains, splendors and atrocities of this world are nothing compared to the wonders available throughout the galaxies. I can expose you to the strongest stimuli in the universe, Ianto. I can take you to places far away and introduce you to phenomena that will magnify your present sensations a hundred times over. I can arouse you as you've never been aroused, wake you from this sleep you call life, and share with you ecstasies, cravings, addictions, tortures, and agonies you humans would never imagine yourselves capable of feeling. There are countless emotions you wouldn't even be able to describe for humans have yet to discover them, yet to name them. But I'll present them to you, Ianto. I will reveal to you the rot, the atrocities of the universe, one by one. You shall enjoy a quickening that will utterly transform you. Nothing will ever be the same for you again."

Smiling in anticipation, Saxon pulled a small remote device from out of his pocket and aimed it at the glass cylinder encompassing John Hart. By activating it, the cylinder rose off the ground and John was suddenly free. He hurriedly stepped out from underneath it, looking somewhat flustered and wary of Saxon. Evidently, the man's speech hadn't just shaken Ianto, who was trembling fiercely and soaked with sweat; it had also startled and disturbed the ex-Time Agents. Saxon wasn't human, he had said so himself. He was undeniably evil.

"We have a deal, Captain John," he said, holding his hand out to the newly appointed mercenary. "But just to clarify, make sure you bring me noble Jack's lifeless corpse."

**ooooooo**

**A/N: **Too much? Sorry about that. Anyway, please review. Cheers!


	10. Doubt and Uncertainties

**A/N: **Wow, look at that, I really am busier on weekends. Anyway, I'm back now. Allons-y!

**ooooooo**

"Oh my god, it's a Tardis," Martha said, gingerly opening the mahogany door. As she'd expected, it was bigger on the inside and there wasn't a swinging pendulum anywhere in sight. Power cables from the Hadron Web extended all the way to a black console, which explained why the door had been left ajar, where they were plugged into a specific panel that both drank in and emitted golden light. "Of course the Master would have his own Tardis. My god, it makes sense!" It never occurred to her how the coward had gotten all the way to the end of the universe when he fled the Time War back in her reality. When Professor Yana died, when the Master was reborn, they had all been in such a rush to escape the Futurekind and get back to the twenty-first century that they never even considered the possibility of a second Tardis.

"The chameleon circuit must be fully functional," Martha exclaimed, darting enthusiastically around the console. Behind her, Tosh had crept in quietly and was now taking in the size of it all, no less overwhelmed, but somewhat less fascinated, by what normally captivated the hearts and imaginations of young humans. "Look at this place!" Martha gazed up at the console's central column in admiration. "It's impeccable. There's not a scratch or a dent anywhere. I'm telling you, Tosh, take a peek inside the Doctor's Tardis, it's falling apart at the seams. Rickety old thing's practically held together by duct tape, but this ship… it's flawless. Mind you, it's also kind of drab. At least the Doctor's coral theme gives it more of a welcoming atmosphere. Saxon needs a decorator."

"But this is…" Tosh had finally found her voice. "This is transdimensional engineering. This isn't even a scientific theory yet, it's just an eccentric concept. How is this possible?"

"I don't know," Martha admitted, taking a deep breath and sauntering back around toward the weary genius. There wasn't time for carousing. She had to remind herself who actually owned this particular Tardis and why she happened to be trespassing inside it. She had a job to do and she needed Tosh's help. "This is Time Lord technology. It's not from Earth."

"Time Lord technology?" Tosh whimpered, shaking her head while Martha nodded patiently. "But… what does that mean? Time Lord technology? Martha, my job is to study the technology we're able to amass from our extraterrestrial allies, none of whom refer to themselves as Time Lords, and none of whom have the capabilities to engineer anything this advanced."

"Listen to me," Martha said, gripping Tosh's shoulders. A plan was slowly formulating at the back of her mind, a crazy, impossible plan that more than likely wasn't feasible, but weren't those the best kinds? At least they were better than improvising, a strategy the Doctor seemed to favor. "Just listen." Tosh averted her eyes, lost and defeated, clearly ashamed and so discouraged Martha wondered if she who understood the concept of transdimensional engineering had ever been told about hope. "Harold Saxon, the man who did this to Rose, the man who runs this laboratory, have you met him?" Tosh clenched her eyes shut and nodded stiffly. "He's not human," Martha told her. "He's a Time Lord. He's from Gallifrey. Only a few people outside U.N.I.T. understand what that means. He belongs to one of the most remarkable species in the universe and unfortunately for us that makes him dangerously clever. More than capable of shoving an enormous room inside a small clock."

"Can Jack stop him?" Tosh asked, wiping tears from her eyes before slowly raising them to pore into Martha's. "The… the angel… Rose? Rose said someone named Jack is coming. Jack is your captain. Can he do it? Can he stand up to a… to a Time Lord?"

Martha hesitated. The truth was she doubted it. Back in their reality, they never would have stopped the Master had it not been for the Doctor's brilliance, millions of people, and fifteen satellites. Martha had been blessed with an entire year to prepare for that last confrontation and chances were she couldn't rely on such fortunes again. But at the same time, she needed Tosh to believe, to find some sort of motivation that would bring to life her fighting spirit. "Toshiko… You're not the only one who thinks of Rose as an angel. Jack loves her. The Doctor loves her. Mickey loves her. And apparently all your alien allies love her, too. I don't know if Jack can outwit Saxon, but either way right now he's not here and I'm not just gonna sit around waiting for him to show up. I'm gonna fight on Rose's behalf for all the people who love her. Because that's what we have that Saxon doesn't. We look at people we love, we see angels."

"But…" Tosh was trembling, covering her face in her hands to hide tears she could no longer just wipe away. "If Mr. Saxon's a Time Lord… he knows better than us… there aren't any angels, Martha."

"Don't say that," Martha objected, picturing the Doctor in her mind, the Doctor as he was onboard the Valiant, encompassed in the most beautiful light she'd ever seen. He had faced the Master and forgiven him. Just like an angel. "Because you know what? I've traveled with someone who knows even better than Saxon. The Doctor. He's also a Time Lord and he cares about us, he cares more than you'd ever believe. I'd even bet you he's the reason Rose is still hanging on out there, despite everything Saxon's done to her. She still believes. Now it's up to us to show Saxon what humans are really made of and if you help me, Tosh, you might even be able to see it for yourself. Would you like that?"

Tosh was covering her mouth, her eyes were still wet, and she was still shaking, but after a moment she began to nod. "I spent years of my life locked in a prison cell Martha, and even now I'm still trapped. I don't know what freedom is anymore. I've given up fighting. But then again… I don't think I ever fought to begin with, not really. I just… I just let it happen. I accepted it, I accepted it was my place. I was so weak. And I can't stand it anymore. Tell me what to do."

Martha grinned. "Good old Toshiko. We're gonna teach Harold Saxon a thing or two about human resiliency. He can break us down, but with a stout heart and the right kind of doctor, we can recover from anything. Let's go!" She grabbed Tosh's hand and dragged her out of the Master's Tardis. They didn't have a moment to lose and there was so much work to do. "Mickey! Rhys!"

She spotted them with Jake huddled around a computer. Mickey had tapped into the surveillance systems and was attempting to modify the cameras' scheduled rotations, targeting them away from their corner of the laboratory. Martha wasn't sure it mattered, no guards had come bursting in on them yet, but still better to be safe than sorry. Once Mickey was satisfied, he, Jake, and Rhys turned their attention to Martha, who gestured gleefully at the Master's Tardis. "We've got ourselves a working spaceship, but we can't shut it off or kill it or do whatever it is you do to deactivate a Tardis because it's inhibiting all that power Rose has swelling up inside her. No matter how you look at it, the Tardis is protecting her. Now, we have to assume Rose knew what she was doing when she brought Jack here. It's Jack she needs. I just don't know if Jack will be enough, so it's up to us to find help."

"Help from where?" Rhys asked, glancing blankly around the desolate laboratory. His gaze fell on Rose, but he immediately turned his head as if on reflex.

"Earth's allies." Martha smiled. She had always envied Rose the love everyone seemed to show her, but perhaps now that love could be their greatest weapon. It had snapped Jake out of the Master's influence. It was even strengthening Tosh, who up until now hadn't even known Rose's name. "Mickey, you said Rose was the ambassador who negotiated those allegiances. How many are there? Seven?"

He shrugged, glancing from Martha to Jake in perplexity. Jake stared back at him, attentive and supportive, but still trying to wrap his head around the fact that he'd been deceived and basically brainwashed all this time while Rose endured such horrific experimentations. Martha couldn't say how much help he, Mickey, or Rhys could be to her, but at that moment, along with Tosh, they were all she had. Somehow she needed to rally them up, strengthen their morale, do whatever it was leaders did to get their troops in gear.

"Yeah, about seven," Mickey finally said, but uncertainly, as if he couldn't see the point. "There's… there's the Time Agency, the Shadow Proclamation, Raxacoricofallapatorius, not including the Slitheen, common enemies and all that. There's Trion, Traken, the Chula, the Isolus, and even the Sontaran!"

Martha did a double take. "The Sontaran?" She thought back to the A.T.M.O.S. fiasco and the army of odd, talking baked potatoes who nearly poisoned the Earth. Not even the Doctor had been able to reason with them. "No way, that's just going too far." Exactly how perfect was this Rose Tyler?

"Hey, they've got a sense of honor," Mickey argued, failing to understand Martha's skepticism. She had to remind herself this was a parallel world where there probably hadn't been an A.T.M.O.S. fiasco. Every situation was different. "Though technically we're not really allies. Rose convinced them to leave Earth, that's just about it."

"So the plan is to contact Earth's allies and convince them to do what?" Rhys jumped in, brusque and impatient. "Bombard the planet because one bloody arse is conducting unethical experiments? Because that's all the evidence we've got here; we can't prove anything else. I might not be an expert, but we're talking about an evil genius, right? An evil genius who's got more resources and more influence than we have and can cover his tracks. Are these aliens really going to jeopardize their allegiance with Earth because we ask them nicely? Because let me tell you something, if they're anything like us they'll spend weeks deliberating the matter and by then it'll be too late. Saxon will have caught up with us."

"And then there's the matter of actually contacting them," Jake pointed out. "They're aliens. They're in the sky, scattered across the galaxy. How are we going to get to them?"

"The Doctor's Tardis," Martha said hurriedly, struggling to hold onto her command. She felt it unraveling; they didn't trust her, they barely knew her, and they couldn't see where she was headed. They couldn't keep up. "Listen, we don't have much time. Tosh, have you got the coordinates to wherever those aliens live, or at least to where they can be contacted?" Tosh nodded. "Good. Mickey, you and I have seen the Doctor pilot the Tardis. If we can walk Tosh through the basic procedure, she can compare the console of Saxon's functional Tardis with the Doctor's, figure out how to repair it, and get us off the ground. Hopefully by using a Tardis we can convince Earth's allies that it's not just an unethical scientist we're up against. We're up against a Time Lord. And if they care anything about Rose, they'll do something. Besides, after Saxon's got control of the Earth, where do you reckon he'll go next? No one's safe. That should get their attention."

"No way," Rhys held up his hands and took several steps backwards. "I've already flown once in that bloody contraption, I'm not doing it again. And there's no way in hell I'm stepping foot off this planet, especially without Gwen! I can't! I just… can't!"

"I don't even know the first thing about piloting the Tardis," Mickey also objected. "I couldn't walk anybody through it. Besides, that was years ago and the Doctor was always leaping around pushing buttons and pulling levers and stuff faster than I could blink. Half the time it was like he didn't even know what he was doing, just wanted to see what would happen if he tried it this way instead of that way, you know?"

"Have you even considered the complexity of that kind of technology?" Jake demanded, unsurprisingly taking Mickey's side. Martha gaped at the three of them. This was ridiculous. "You said it yourself," Jake added. "We don't have much time. We can't possibly have enough for… for _her _to grasp what did you call it, Time Lord technology? It's a good plan, Martha, but a little over our heads. There's gotta be something else we can do."

"No," Toshiko said with a resolve that caught everyone off guard. When Martha looked at her, she glimpsed just the tiniest trace of the Toshiko Sato she had known in her own reality. The beautiful and graceful woman who met every challenge head on. "This is my job. Learning how to operate alien technology. And now let me tell you something. I'm very, very good at my job."

"We can do this," Martha said, smiling appreciatively at her one ally. "Unless you think we can take on Saxon and all of U.N.I.T. by ourselves, without getting caught and hypnotized, or worse, killed. This is our only chance. So buck up, grow some balls, and do this for everyone you've ever loved." She glanced at Rhys. "For Gwen." She glanced at Mickey and Jake. "For Rose." Personally, she thought of the Doctor. If she could just save Rose for him… his two hearts had been broken so many times… they needed mending. "Come on. Make them proud."

**ooooooo**

"The comms still aren't working," Gwen said, returning to Jack's side by the van where he toiled continuously to repair his wrist strap's teleportation device with the sonic screwdriver. It was just their luck Rhys had kept the van's stolen keys in his possession, otherwise they'd already be on the road contemplating where to go. As it was, Jack knew how to hotwire vehicles, but said he would rather wait to use that as a last resort. For all they knew, the van's owner had already found it missing and was now tracking the G.P.S. The sooner they ditched it, the better. "I even tried ringing Martha directly, but there's some kind of interference."

"Not surprising," Jack said without looking up from the wrist strap. "The Tardis could have taken them anywhere across the universe. They might not even be in this century anymore."

Gwen climbed up onto the hood of the van where she sat feeling useless, thinking about Rhys for what must have been the hundredth time. Where was he? Mars? Ancient Egypt? He loved mummies; every time they went in a museum he always wanted to see the mummies. He was like a kid and now he could be lost somewhere up in that vast expanse of space, all alone. Well, not all alone, he had Martha and Mickey, but what good were they? They didn't even know him. If Rhys panicked, how would they handle him? He needed Gwen. No. _She_ needed to be there to protect him. She knew how brave he was, but that didn't change how desperately she needed to know he was safe. "How are we going to find them, Jack?"

He sighed, finally dropping his arms to acknowledge Gwen's fears. She recognized the aggravation in his vibrantly blue eyes and felt a stab of shame for distracting him. After all, she wasn't the only one worried about family. She had lost Rhys; Jack had lost Ianto, not to mention this Rose Tyler. She had to carry on. She had to be strong. She had to survive.

"None of this happened on accident, Gwen," Jack assured her. "The Tardis was running on emergency power, if even that. It shouldn't have dematerialized and last I checked, no one onboard knows how to fly it. Not even Martha. Someone must have activated it remotely and until I can determine its current location, _if_ I can determine its current location, I'm going to assume it's anywhere between Earth and Gallifrey, in the hands of anyone from the Doctor to the Master."

"Well that's not very helpful," Gwen snapped, wondering where Gallifrey was and terrified that Rhys could be imprisoned by someone as psychotic as Harold Saxon. Why was Jack deliberately being so heartless? It felt like back in the early days when she had questioned whether or not he had a heart at all. She knew deep down he still hadn't forgiven her for marrying Rhys, no matter what he said, but this wasn't about that. They were in a parallel world missing their entire team, most of whom could be on the other side of the galaxy. Jack wasn't so shallow as to embitter himself over Rhys at a time like this, was he? So how could he blame her for voicing her distress when he was also clearly terrified?

"Martha will know what to do," Jack said after a beat. "She traveled with the Doctor longer than I did and she knows the inside of the Tardis. If nothing else, she can find them a decent place to hide." He got back to work on his wrist strap, dousing it in the screwdriver's blue light. Gwen wanted to cover her ears; the device's constant buzzing was starting to drive her mad. "It shouldn't be much longer. I've almost got this…"

"That's what you said twenty minutes ago," Gwen promptly reminded him. But that was the thing about Captain Jack Harkness; no one could match his obstinacy. When he decided to get something done, he needed an extremely good reason to give up.

"My god, when Eye Candy said I didn't know what I was getting myself into, at the very least I expected an operational wrist strap."

In a matter of seconds Gwen slid off the hood of the van, drew her gun, and aimed it at John Hart who was standing at most five meters across from her. She could hit him easily; it wasn't quite point blank, but close enough. Had Ianto been there he would have fired automatically, but Ianto wasn't there and Gwen was now staring at the man responsible for that. She almost wanted to kill him… before he could take anyone else away from her. Before he could take Jack.

But she didn't have to worry about Jack. He had pulled out his own gun faster than she had and was now regarding John coldly. Distrustfully. Evenly. His ability to control whatever situation he landed in was currently up to par and the look in his eyes alone was enough to apprehend their enemy, who raised his hands submissively. "Whatever you have to say, whatever bones you have to pick with me, just save it. I'm not interested. Where the hell is Ianto?"

"Just… just hear me out. I've come to help." John eyed the guns warily, glancing from Gwen to Jack as if they were strangers. "Really, there's no need to be shooting me." He had the look of an innocent man staring two wild and unpredictable bulls in the face, as if he'd forgotten the role he'd been playing up until now. He was good, but Gwen knew better than to let that fool her… if he was even trying to fool her. "Look, I'm sorry about this whole misunderstanding. I really thought you were my Jack, but you're not. You're from a parallel world, aren't you?"

Gwen hesitated, staring at John in surprise. He honestly looked repentant; she recognized that expression from the night he blew apart Cardiff, the night Owen and Tosh had… Shaken, Gwen glanced at Jack, but he remained unperturbed. "Apologizing for a simple misunderstanding isn't going to cut it. You took someone I care about very much and unless he's returned to me in the next five minutes, I will start shooting." He wasn't bluffing. Gwen knew, or at least she thought she knew, when Jack was bluffing and this wasn't it.

"It's not that easy," John said a little more desperately. Jack cocked his gun threateningly and John backed farther away, surprisingly pale. Gwen suddenly realized that John understood all too well the implications of angering an unfamiliar Jack Harkness from an unknown alternate reality. For all he knew Jack could be a monster and at the moment he certainly resembled one. "I'm telling you the truth, Jack. If I could return your boy to you, I would. I never meant for it to get this far out of hand."

"What are you on about?" Gwen demanded, her anger and resent rapidly descending into fear and uncertainty. "Where's Ianto? What's happened to him?" Why couldn't these situations ever be black and white anymore?

"We got caught," John slowly explained, keeping his eyes fixed on Jack, measuring his every move, weighing his every reaction. Gwen knew if Jack was going to give into his anger, John wanted to be ready for it. "Me, my Jack, and your Eye…" Something in Jack's expression warned John to think twice about Ianto's pet name. "And your Ianto… we got caught by Suzie Costello." Gwen's mouth fell open but she didn't say anything and John was too intent on Jack to notice. "She works for U.N.I.T. She's trying to gain command of Torchwood. Actually, she's been hunting me for quite some time now, but I never once thought she'd someday catch up with me. She's good, but not that good."

"Obviously not if you escaped," Jack pointed out.

"But I didn't escape," John said simply. Gwen caught her breath, hastily scanning their surroundings for any sign of movement, any trace of spies or snipers or thugs lying in wait to ambush them. "They let me go to find you, Jack. Suzie's got a new partner. He never said his name, but he is frightening." Gwen's gut wrenched. She glanced at Jack; she saw his jaw tighten. "The man knew about Ianto. He said you lot came through the Void from a parallel world. I don't know who he thinks he is, Jack, but he's not human. The things he said…" John was actually shuddering. Gwen still found it hard to accept that Jack could be frightened of anything, but now even Captain John Hart was scared. This Harold Saxon… this evil Time Lord… What the hell was he?

"Say I believe you," Jack said, still aiming his gun at John relentlessly. "Say I even know who you're talking about." John perked up a little, sensing he'd made progress. And if Gwen had been his shoes, she would have been relieved as well. Jack Harkness certainly wasn't an easy man to convince of anything. "That still doesn't tell me where Ianto is or why they let you go to find me. What does he want?"

"He wants _you_!" John said emphatically. "Like I said, he knows you're from a parallel world and to him that makes you nothing more than bloody toys. He's off his trolley. But he wants you in particular, Jack, because apparently that girl, that pretty girl from Torchwood, Rose, she's asking for you."

"Rose," Jack whispered without betraying a hint of emotion. Not even Gwen could tell what he was thinking.

"I was going to trade you," John admitted. "They let me go because I assured them I could track you. After all, I've got your molecular structure memorized. You're an easy man to find, Jack, and I was going to trade you in for my Jack and the two of us were going to live happily ever after." Gwen felt sick. Jack looked angry and indignant. John just shook his head. "Your Ianto, he was furious. And that's when I realized… The things that bastard said… He was so conceited and despite his charming exterior, he was brutal. _Brutal_. It wasn't attractive, Jack, it was horrifying. Now I've got to help make this right because I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemies and your Ianto… he's a good kid. He doesn't deserve it."

"Deserve what?" Gwen asked, not entirely sure she wanted to know. "What's happening to him?"

John looked apologetic. "He was fine when I left, at least physically, but that bastard's threatening to torment him. Said something about taking him all over the universe to show him firsthand how hellish it can be." Gwen immediately pictured Lisa, Cybermen, Abaddon, turning against Jack to open the Rift, Jack's disappearance, all the shit they cleaned up on a daily basis, and then Tosh and Owen… Ianto already knew how hellish the universe could be. They all did. But how much worse could an evil Time Lord make it seem?

"But first thing's first," John said, meeting Jack's gaze. "I'm supposed to kill you. The bastard would love to play with anyone from a parallel world, but for some reason, I reckon 'cause of Rose, he thinks you're a threat and wants you dead. I doubt he'll fly off with your Ianto until he sees your body. That's got to count for something, doesn't it?"

Jack scoffed and Gwen couldn't blame him. If Saxon wanted Jack dead, then Saxon didn't know Jack was immortal, which gave them an advantage. A small one, anyhow. But then again… what would happen if Saxon ever did discover Jack's immortality?

"You know we can't trust you," Jack said. John nodded; after all, it was a hard fact to deny. "And I want Ianto back. I want Rose back, the rest of my team safe, and Harold Saxon out of my life forever. So you're going to have to excuse me for this." In two very swift, very fluid motions, Jack lowered his gun and drew a stun gun. He fired without hesitation and not even the infamous Captain John Hart had time to dodge the blast.

**ooooooo**

**A/N: **Please review. Cheers!


	11. The Starlight Festival

**A/N: **Thanks for the reviews, can't wait for more. Allons-y!

**ooooooo**

The Cybus Control Tower was the largest building in London and possibly the entire world with over two hundred floors and a landing deck reserved specifically for U.N.I.T. zeppelins. Built in the nineties to regulate air traffic, it had since grown from a relatively miniscule edifice into a giant, multifaceted complex that monitored not only zeppelins, but every air craft to enter into the People's Republic from helicopters to the ground-breaking hovercars recently developed by Cybus Industries. It was a watchtower for alien activity, an embarkation site for those rich enough and audacious enough to venture into space, an embassy for alien guests, and most importantly, unbeknownst to the general public, U.N.I.T.'s secret base.

Much of the facility, particularly the upper levels' sophisticated ventilation systems, had been perfected just that year, courtesy of Harold Saxon. He liked to think of it as his home; while he couldn't keep his Tardis there, not to mention the Bad Wolf, for fear of alerting Earth's more competent of visitors to his presence, he nevertheless had a penthouse, perhaps not on the top floor but luxurious all the same, where he and Suzie spent many of their nights. Separate from the Cybus Industries H.Q. where Saxon would be working until he found another private zeppelin, the control tower offered him sanctuary from the human muck even as he used it to transmit subliminal messages beneath Pete Tyler's famous catchphrase to control the population.

He was looking forward to better acquainting himself with his latest toy. There was only so much fun he could have onboard an official U.N.I.T. zeppelin where everything, absolutely everything, was under constant surveillance. Lieutenant-General Sanchez was no fool, at least not by Earth's standards, and though he remained convinced that Saxon was indeed the benevolent Doctor, lately he'd been having doubts. Saxon had tried modifying his subliminal messages to strengthen his hold over Sanchez, but they weren't as effective as he'd hoped and unfortunately if he attempted to hypnotize the man outright, he'd run the risk of blowing his cover to some vigilant bastard who happened to be in the vicinity attending to the general. These days hypnotism just wasn't what it used to be; it wasn't subtle and if the victim were to somehow snap out of it, he might remember Saxon's duplicity. He couldn't afford that; not yet. Of course he did have a plan to depose Sanchez, the man was by far too much trouble, but for now he had to keep patient. He couldn't properly amuse himself until he reached the safety and privacy of his own personal quarters, but on the bright side there was always the anticipation, the mounting excitement that made every experience so much tastier.

Presently, the zeppelin eased itself down on the tower's landing deck. A force field designed by Saxon himself sheltered those waiting on it from the elements, most of whom were guards ready to transport Captain Jack from the zeppelin to the underground detention center where he would be held indefinitely. Dear Suzie had no intention whatsoever of honoring her deal with John Hart. She couldn't be promoted without him, so once he brought in the alternate Jack's dead body he would be arrested. All in a day's work, Saxon cheerfully observed. And in the meantime he would start another game, a new game, a game with Ianto.

He loved parallel worlds. He loved glimpsing them through the minds of those hapless few who managed to wander out of them. The differences, the similarities, they stimulated the imagination like nothing else could. Not even someone as ingenious as the Master would ever have thought up exposing Rose to the heart of a Tardis had he not first seen it done in her memories. The possibilities were infinite and for a Time Lord who had witnessed everything from the dawn of creation to the end of the universe, alternate realities provided him with new surprises and new horizons to explore. If only he could find a means of slipping through them himself… to travel between universes…

But no, he must satisfy himself with what was given to him. Rose Tyler, now she was a delight. Like a dragon held down by a dozen of the heaviest chains in existence. She was his pet, his favorite, his beloved. When she finally broke free and swallowed everything in the ensuing rampage, he would experience the greatest high, the ecstasy of destruction, and even his own death would be worth it. But what to do until then? What other games could he play as he waited for her?

There was always Mickey Smith and Jackie Tyler. They too were from parallel worlds, but they were nevertheless well-known here. Saxon was required to share them, especially Jackie whose marriage to Pete served its own purposes. And since Mickey had so cleverly disappeared, he had resigned himself to making do with Rose. After all, who else was there?

Ianto Jones. Now Saxon had Ianto Jones all to himself, to do with as he pleased. Initial observations? He was a young man, around twenty-five, healthy, handsome, wealthy enough to afford nice suits, unless of course they had been given to him. John Hart and this reality's Jack Harkness had taken to calling Ianto Eye Candy, a name made all the more fitting by his flattering wardrobe. It wasn't too far a stretch to imagine the boy dressed up by a doting patron. Saxon himself enjoyed dressing up Suzie whenever the opportunity presented itself, so why not? And even though Ianto's jacket had been tossed aside while onboard the Yrderian prison transport where it was then found by Suzie's retrieval team, he still looked sharp in his red shirt with those sleeves rolled up.

He was a passionate boy, loyal and devoted to the Jack Harkness of his reality. He was clever enough to fear Saxon and conscious of the corruption and degradation, of the evils swarming the universe. The terror in his eyes when Saxon spoke of humanity's capacity for pain and anguish revealed how familiar he actually was with pain and anguish. He had suffered; he bore the scars of substantial heartache. He could be trouble for he still had spirit, but all in all he was just a boy. A helpless boy Saxon was eager to entertain.

"We should celebrate once we have Hart back in custody and Harkness' body disposed of," Suzie said, slinking over to Saxon's side as the U.N.I.T. guards boarded the zeppelin and marched down toward the brig. They had orders to collect Jack Harkness while leaving Ianto for Saxon's personal assistants who would escort the boy to Saxon's suite where he was to be cleaned up and fed. The food, of course, would contain certain stimulants to keep Ianto awake and agitated. He could stew for awhile, wondering what was to be done to him.

Saxon smiled, glancing at Suzie knowingly. She wasn't faithful to him, just as he wasn't faithful to her. They both slept with whomever they pleased, but whenever they did discover each other's partners, they still felt the burning jealously that often led to homicide. They punished the innocent to arouse each other and they always got away with it; yet another game, an erotic game, Saxon liked to play. And even now he could sense the adulteress behind the beautiful woman. "By celebrate, I suppose you mean pay a little visit to the Bad Wolf. You only love me for my pets."

The Bad Wolf was enthralling. People were known to go mad just by looking at her. When Saxon first forced Rose into the Hadron Web, he had to convince Suzie it was for the greater good. Now, however, she was addicted to the beast. Suzie didn't want to free her the way some fools did. No. Suzie wanted to bask in the power. Like Saxon, she felt the same thrill to be keeping such a monster encaged. It was a rush. To be able to confine something like the Bad Wolf, it was all-powerful, godly, and Suzie loved it. She would rather spend an hour in the Bad Wolf's presence than a lifetime with Harold Saxon. He knew it and found it comical. Poor Suzie would be devastated when he finally grew bored of her.

"General Sanchez is waiting to meet with you," Suzie said with a sigh. "God knows what he wants at this hour. And I have to keep an eye out for Hart, but afterwards… you know you haven't taken me to see the Bad Wolf in over a week. Being with her is so invigorating."

Saxon nodded, wrapping an arm around Suzie's waist and pulling her against him. "Quite right," he said, breathing her in. She looked up at him and their lips hovered inches apart. "Give me a few hours. I'll deal with Sanchez." He also wanted to ensure Ianto's… comfort. "Patience, love. I should like to visit the Bad Wolf and offer her my condolences once we sort out Captain Jack. You can come with me then if you like."

"Yes," she whispered, laughing cruelly as a torrent of angry yelling began pouring up from the zeppelin's brig.

**ooooooo**

U.N.I.T. boasted some of the strongest, finest, and deadliest soldiers most countries on Earth had to offer and the seven guards who came to transport Captain Jack Harkness were no exception. Big, muscular, and probably on steroids, they were twice Jack's size and, dressed as they were in black uniforms topped with red caps, they were also considerably intimidating.

As the glass cylinder imprisoning Jack slid off the ground and released him, three of the guards aimed their guns squarely at his head while the others made to grab him. Naturally he resisted and even got in a few good punches, all the while shouting insults and innuendos at the top of his lungs, but it made no difference. Helpless, Ianto watched as the guards slammed their fists into Jack's gut, forced him down, cuffed his wrists, and wrestled him out of the white room. In a matter of minutes Jack was gone and eventually even his angry bellowing dissipated into silence. Ianto was alone.

However, his isolation was very short-lived. After awhile the door opened a third time and permitted two solid figures entry. They were both identical; tall, lean, and completely clad in black leather. Matching helmets with opaque visors covered their heads, making it impossible to tell whether or not they were even human, and at the sight of them Ianto fell back against the glass. Shaken by an irrational fear of monsters, he would have rather been taken away with Jack by the massive guards from U.N.I.T. than left to the mercy of these unfathomable beings.

The glass cylinder rose up from around him. He stumbled backwards as the two thugs swiftly advanced. Jack would have fought back or at the very least looked for a way out, for a means of escape, but Ianto couldn't. The next thing he knew, the thugs each had him by an arm and were roughly manhandling him through the narrow passageways of a zeppelin. Their grips were viselike and painful; their gaits fast and purposeful. It was difficult keeping up and impossible to tear free.

The zeppelin had landed on top of a large structure where several U.N.I.T. personnel stood around awaiting orders and manning their posts. None of them seemed remotely interested in Ianto as the leather clad thugs dragged him down the steps onto the building's roof. He was just another prisoner to them. It was late at night, but floodlights kept the place illuminated. Ianto could tell immediately it was a high profile facility, not unlike Canary Wharf, which meant a lot of security, secrecy, authorization codes, red tape, and minimal chances of either escape or rescue. Ianto silently wondered where Jack was and what the rest of the team was doing and if they would ever find him.

Glancing to the right, Ianto spotted Harold Saxon standing several meters away with Suzie and the prestigious Lieutenant-General Sanchez, who Ianto recognized as the head of U.N.I.T. He appeared to be extremely upset about something and was currently briefing Saxon on the matter, but Saxon wasn't listening. Rather he was watching the leather clad thugs directing Ianto toward the doors leading down into the building. For a moment the two men made eye contact. Saxon smiled wickedly and Ianto felt his blood run cold.

**ooooooo**

As grateful as Gwen was to finally be out of the scrap yard, her sudden resurgence back into civilization where everything was bright, crowded, and noisy did nothing for the migraine that came with traveling through space via the vortex manipulator Jack had stolen from Captain John. They had left him behind, unconscious, unarmed, and deprived one wrist strap which Jack had no qualms whatsoever about using, especially since the sonic screwdriver wasn't making any progress on his own device.

They had teleported into a large open square that was brilliantly lit with street lights, neon lights, sparkling billboards, and even searchlights emitting colorful beams up into space. It was positively dazzling and hundreds of people had gathered for the late night festivities Cybus Industries was sponsoring that month. Ianto had called it the Starlight Festival and it was indeed a major event. Even in the early hours of the morning people were celebrating; restaurants remained open, music was blaring on every corner, there was dancing, costumes, alien exhibits, booths, and various activities meant to amuse and stimulate the imagination. It was like one of those science fiction convention thingies.

At the far end of the square, the Cybus Control Tower loomed over all. It was enormous, impossibly tall, and Gwen couldn't make out the top. According to Jack, even by fifty-first century standards it was tall, a true testament to humanity's achievements… unless it had been constructed by a Time Lord or something…

Needless to say, the tower was impressive. Upon their arrival in the parallel world, Jack had sent Gwen and Rhys to investigate the signal Saxon was using to manipulate the populace and she had immediately suspected the zeppelins of transmitting it. She assumed the transmission originated in the control tower and before Jack had called them to rendezvous at Big Ben, she and Rhys had searched for the building. However, not even she had expected something of this scale. It was just too big. So when Jack had relieved Captain John of his wrist strap, when he asked Gwen if she had any idea on where they should start, she immediately suggested the control tower.

"Who knows what goes on inside that place," Gwen said as they stood outside gazing up at the building. "Maybe this is where Saxon is keeping Rose." Or Ianto. Obviously it wasn't just meant for regulating zeppelins. It looked grand enough to be hiding up to five or six secret organizations and then some. "Can we teleport in?"

Jack shook his head. "No, you can bet they have alarms for that sort of thing." He sighed. "What I wouldn't give for a piece of psychic paper right about now." Gwen had never infiltrated anything like this before and was starting to grow nervous. Earlier she had been prepared to storm in without so much as backup, but the moment she saw the size of it she had faltered. Rhys had been right, she had gotten ahead of herself. This wasn't the kind of facility two people could take on their own. She didn't know what she was doing and for the first time standing next to Jack she didn't feel like a hero, she felt like a criminal, a terrorist steeling herself for an upcoming raid.

But despite that, despite her apprehension, Gwen couldn't deny the excitement poking at her reluctance. Her blood was racing and a part of her couldn't wait to break the rules with Captain Jack Harkness. They'd be resorting to methods he had long since given up, but remembered all the same. He used to be a conman. Gwen imagined this was child's play to him; this was a part of who he was, another facet to his mysterious identity, and despite everything she wanted to behold it. Thank god Rhys wasn't here.

"How's your headache?" Jack asked glancing at her gravely, an expression that discomfited her. This wasn't easy for him, she realized. He was scared; scared of Saxon, scared for Ianto, Rose, the whole team, everything. She couldn't let herself get carried away by the adrenaline. This was a job; life and death; not a game.

"It's gone now," she assured him. "I'm ready to go. Have we got a plan?"

"Follow my lead," Jack said. He started briskly towards the control tower where Gwen caught sight of U.N.I.T. officers checking in prominent men and women, all of whom dressed handsomely as if for some formal occasion. The resplendent glass entryway was flanked with metal detectors; the lobby inside boasted a polished floor and a majestic fountain that was clearly visible from the square. It hardly screamed 'control tower' to Gwen; it reminded her more of a corporate building.

Slinking up behind a pair of ladies twenty years too late for their prom, Gwen had never felt more conspicuous in her life. She had been shopping with Rhys before all this began; she was wearing a miniskirt, a blue top, and a black jacket, anything but formalwear. And as for Jack, well he was wearing a coat from the forties! Everyone, including the U.N.I.T. officers, stared at them strangely. Jack, however, being Jack, just flashed his typical grin and held up his badge. "Torchwood. We're needed on the observation deck. Colonel Mace requested us. Don't ask, it's classified." He offered them a mock salute and slipped his badge back into his coat before the officers had time to spot any inconsistent data; it was a different world, after all. While Jack's hand remained in his pocket, Gwen heard the familiar droning that she could now associate with a sonic screwdriver and as she followed him through the metal detectors, she was pleased and mildly surprised that they made it in despite all their weaponry.

"Well, that was easy," Jack said as they followed the stream of guests through the lobby towards a single large elevator. "A bit reckless. I don't even know if there is a Colonel Mace in this reality, but hell, it worked. We should improvise more often, Gwen." He was trying to lighten the mood. If it hadn't worked, if those officers had been sharper, quicker, then they'd be in real shit right now. Jack was never that rash, but Gwen knew at some point action had to be taken or else you might as well pack up and go home. There wasn't time to sit around, strategize, and make preparations, which would have been useless anyway given their minimal resources; in a situation like this they needed to have the balls to take whatever chances were given to them. But considering what was at stake… The pressure was weighing on Jack's mind. He wasn't at ease here. No matter what he said, no matter how brave his front, he was still scared.

They rode up with the other guests in the express elevator to the sky lobby where a party was in full swing. Men and women from all around the world mingled together, dancing, socializing, taking refreshments, enjoying a fantastic view of the cityscape, not in the least bit tired though it was hours after midnight. Gwen had pulled all-nighters before; in fact it was part of her job, but she never got away with it looking as fresh and animated as these people did.

It didn't take her long to realize she was amidst some of the most influential public figures in the world. She caught sight of the former prime minister, Harriet Jones, who was president in this reality, talking to a stately blonde Jack identified as Jacqueline Tyler, wife of the international hero, Pete Tyler.

"She's Rose's mother," Jack whispered as he led Gwen through the crowd towards the back of the sky lobby, a darkened concourse full of elevators that had been roped off for the night. "And before you ask, no, we can't talk to her, we can't ask her for help. She wouldn't know who I am." Gwen glanced up at him in surprise and even as her lips formed the word 'why,' he responded. "Time lines. We were never properly introduced. It's always a matter of conflicting time lines." Whatever that meant. Still, Gwen recognized the grief in Jack's voice and grasped how awful it must feel to be so close to Rose's family but so far from Rose herself. Gwen didn't even know Rose, but for Jack's sake she wished there was more she could do and resented Mrs. Tyler for having such a wonderful time at the party when her daughter was in so much trouble.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention, please?"

Jack and Gwen both stopped short, glancing over their shoulders as everyone in the sky lobby turned to regard a decorated officer standing on a raised platform. It was Lieutenant-General Sanchez; Gwen had never seen the man in person before but she recognized him from photos on the Torchwood database back home. He was the head of U.N.I.T. and unlike his guests, he looked rightfully worn out. Even exhausted.

"First of all, I would like to apologize for the delay," Sanchez said, his face flushed, his brow glistening under the stage lights. Gwen turned around fully, concern spreading through her gut. This wasn't stage fright, it was something else. "I have finally managed to track down our guest of honor. It seems he was so engrossed in his work that the festival slipped his mind entirely." Sanchez chuckled nervously, though aside from Jack and Gwen no one seemed to notice. While the two frowned at each other uneasily, everyone else laughed in genuine amusement. Sanchez continued. "But that describes perfectly the attitude Earth has taken these past few years. We have seen everything from the Cybermen and their cold upgrades to the Isolus and their virtual realities. We have learned to hope, that our dreams are not in vain, that we can indeed explore the final frontier and make peaceful contact with those who dwell beyond the stars. There is so much humanity can accomplish if we just rise to the challenge and the Starlight Festival is in honor of those whose hard work and devotion to the task at hand demonstrates precisely what we are made of. And so, without further ado, may I present Doctor Harold Saxon, the Unified Intelligence Taskforce's chief scientific consultant…"

Sanchez was unable to finish his introduction beneath the fanfare that followed. Obviously Mr. Saxon, or Dr. Saxon or whatever the hell he called himself, was immensely popular; the guests began cheering heartily as he took the stage. Gwen couldn't believe it; she had seen Saxon in her own world, she knew how handsome he was, but there was something different about seeing him live, directly in front of her, that made him irresistible. She knew he was evil, an assassin, Ianto's captor, but a part of her wanted to walk up to him now and surrender, he had such charisma.

"He sprayed on pheromones, the bastard," Jack grumbled, grabbing Gwen's hand as Saxon began thanking the guests for their generosity. "Not too potent, no, that would cause a riot, but just enough to satisfy." Jack sounded sick and Gwen suddenly felt sick. They caught each other's eyes, thoroughly disgusted. "Come on. We can't let him see us."

"If Saxon's here, Ianto might be, too," Gwen whispered, turning away from the platform alongside Jack. They crept to the back of the sky lobby and as subtly as possible ducked under the stanchions roping off the elevators. Glancing back, Gwen kept watch while Jack pulled out the sonic screwdriver and activated one of the lifts. It opened with a ding and they both winced, but fortunately the sound didn't carry back to the other guests. Rushing inside, Gwen's heart didn't stop pounding until the door slid shut. "So far so good, eh?"

Jack eyed her and hit the button to a random floor. The elevator began rising and he offered her John Hart's wrist strap. "We're gonna have to split up, Gwen." Her heart, which had so recently been pounding, suddenly froze. She clutched the wrist strap tightly, staring at Jack in dismay.

"What?" First Ianto, then Rhys and the others, and now Jack? Was she supposed to carry on alone? Gwen looked away, anywhere but at Jack, suddenly feeling weak in the knees. He caught her, gripping her arms supportively.

"This place has over two hundred floors," he said patiently, but forcefully. "Even if Ianto is here, he could be anywhere. I'll look for him, you find a way to the observation deck. If Saxon is transmitting a signal from anywhere, it'll be from the observation deck. Gwen, I need you to deactivate it. Look." He took her hands and held up the wrist strap, indicating its different features. "If you need to find me, you can track my molecular structure. It's been programmed in. And if things start to get too dangerous, this button will teleport you outside. Don't hesitate to use it, Gwen. If you need a quick getaway for any reason whatsoever, this is your ticket out. We should still be able to use our comms, so just keep yourself together. You can do this."

Gwen certainly hoped so. They were risking everything here. According to John Hart, Saxon considered them nothing but measly little toys. If they weren't careful… they might lose more than just their lives.

**ooooooo**

**A/N: **Please review. Cheers!


	12. Slingshot

**A/N:** For the record, I've never infiltrated a large building before. I don't know how it's done. I'm just guessing here. Anyway, sorry for the delay. This chapter was just… hard to write. Allons-y!

**ooooooo**

The elevator jolted to a stop on the one hundredth and seventy-second floor where the door slid open to reveal a massive, empty, and pitch-black concourse. As Gwen fastened on Jack's wrist strap, he stuck his head outside and held up the sonic screwdriver. Loud buzzing and blue light temporarily encroached on the dark and eerie silence, but as soon as Jack ducked back into the elevator and used his leg to obstruct the door, Gwen found herself peering out into what resembled a monstrous throat.

"You know, I never really liked big corporations," she admitted, hanging back nervously. Jack glanced at her but she was reluctant to meet his gaze. "I watched _Nine to Five_ when I was a girl. You know that film with Jane Fonda? I told myself I would never submit to eight hours of such tedium, not if my life depended on it. Give me the police station any day of the week over a bloody desk with a bloody phone. Or better yet, give me Torchwood."

Jack smiled. "This isn't a big corporation, Gwen, it's a control tower. You just have to see through the disguise. And what's more, I can guarantee you whatever we're getting into, it won't be tedious." He slipped the sonic screwdriver back into his pocket. "Now, I just took out the cameras on this level. I'll try to get the rest, but it could take awhile. Don't worry too much about stealth, just pretend you know what you're doing and go about your business. When you get to the observation deck…" He hesitated and that was the part that worried Gwen most. She wasn't Tosh; she didn't know what she was looking for or what she should do when she found it. If she needed a password or something she'd be at a complete loss; she wasn't a bloody hacker! But Jack, good old Jack, just shrugged. "Picture Jane Fonda hunting the big bad boss through all those offices and use your imagination."

"Thanks," Gwen said. "That's just the support I needed." Tentatively, she stepped past Jack and crept off the elevator. The concourse wasn't nearly as dark as it seemed seconds ago; even from way up here the Starlight Festival's brilliant lightshow cast beams and waves of glowing colors through the windows. Outside there were throngs of people celebrating from all around the world, none of whom had even the foggiest notion that something in this republic was terribly amiss. Harold Saxon… no one had seen him coming, no one had suspected… not in Gwen's world and not in this world, aside from Rose that was… and look where it had gotten her.

"Jack," Gwen said, turning around sharply to face her captain. He was pensively regarding the elevator's call buttons, trying to decide where to go next, but at the sound of his name he looked up astutely, as if he'd been waiting for this all night. And for a moment Gwen just stared at him, hundreds of thoughts scrambling her brain, hundreds of questions, but no idea where to begin. "Jack, when you deserted us last year, when you vanished without a trace, off to find your Doctor… It was Saxon, wasn't it?" He was terrified of Saxon. He said he had been targeted by the Time Lord just because he was close to the Doctor. It wasn't something that happened long ago or far off into the future or however you wanted to look at it, it had happened recently, because Martha had been hurt as well. "One minute Saxon's the most popular man on Earth. Then you disappear, then Saxon's declared a murderer, and then you return, saying you've been to the end of the world. But you weren't just catching up with your Doctor, were you? You were fighting Saxon."

Jack sighed, closing his eyes. The memories were tormenting him, Gwen could see that clearly. It wasn't fair of her to pry, but a part of her would always love Jack. She wanted to know, she wanted to understand the hatred she felt for Saxon when she had never even met the man, when she was just taking Jack's word for it. Who was he? An evil Time Lord, yes, but what had he done?

"Gwen," Jack said after a tick. "For awhile there, when Saxon was in power, I thought I'd never see you again. Any of you. And it almost wasn't worth finding the Doctor. I had been waiting over a hundred years to find him, but I would've happily waited another thousand if it would have prevented Saxon's emergence, even if I knew ahead of time that Martha could beat him and wipe it all from history. There's some things you just can't erase. And I learned something. I learned how much I have to cherish. Thanks to Martha we got a second chance and I don't want an alternate Saxon from a parallel world jeopardizing that. Okay?"

Slowly, Gwen nodded. "Okay…" He still wasn't elaborating; there was still so much she didn't understand. Martha had wiped it all from history? What did that mean? The Doctor and Saxon were Time Lords… Were they combating time itself? "Jack… We _can_ do this, right? We can beat him? Even without the Doctor? We're not fighting a losing battle, are we?" He didn't respond, but then again, he didn't have to. Gwen understood his expression. "Right. Well, just so you know, I'll follow your lead anywhere. And if I have to, I'll go out fighting. Like Owen and Tosh."

"No," Jack said harshly, pointing at John's wrist strap. "If you have to, you'll use that and teleport as far away from Saxon as possible. That's nonnegotiable, Gwen. Think of Rhys. Your future is with him." She made to object, but Jack reached out an arm and pressed his fingers against her lips. "Nonnegotiable. You know what to do. Now be careful."

Stunned, Gwen watched in silence as Jack stepped back into the elevator. He hit a button; the door slid shut and just like that Gwen was alone. She turned around and took in the concourse; there were windows all around her and at least three different corridors branching into three different departments. How easy it would be to lose her way. Ever since she had joined Torchwood, she was always losing her way. But Jack, her boss, he helped show her the right path. Yes, her future was with Rhys, she loved Rhys, but she needed Torchwood. Oh, hell, she didn't know what she wanted anymore.

Yes she did. She wanted to go back, back to when Owen and Tosh were still alive, back to when things made sense, and she was strong, confident, and fearless. She had been happy then.

**ooooooo**

Rule numbers one and two to breaking and entering; bypass the security systems and take down all channels of communication. Of course rule number three was to avoid triggering an automatic lockdown in the process, which would have been terribly inconvenient, at least for Gwen. Jack had a sonic screwdriver so he could get through just about anything, but his goal was to make passage easier for Gwen, not more difficult. Therefore his objective was to locate the building's security room and deactivate the cameras before moving on to cut the power. He could always overload the circuit breakers, that would be easy enough with a sonic screwdriver. And if he was lucky, he might also be able to shift radio frequencies with the screwdriver as a remote, consequently disabling radios, telephones, even cell phones. Hell, with a sonic screwdriver he could do just about anything he wanted as long as he worked out the right settings.

Standing in the elevator, Jack focused on the tiny little instrument he had once ridiculed, but now trusted more than his guns. In the proper hands, it could be used to singlehandedly fight injustices all across the universe. Then again, were someone like John Hart, or even Jack himself once upon a time, to get a hold of it, it could cause more mischief than he wanted to contemplate. Like the Tardis, it belonged with the Doctor and for once in his life Jack would have happily relinquished the brilliant device to the Time Lord along with every other scrap of technology at his disposal, even his wrist strap, if it meant having him there to work out a solution to this nightmare.

Jack was trying very hard not to think about the dark details of his greatest fears and worst memories, but the elevator ride was lasting longer than he'd anticipated and Gwen's words were troubling him. He shouldn't be surprised by her promise to go down fighting, he should be grateful and honored by her devotion. He should be proud; proud of the friendships he'd managed to forge in spite of the pain and isolation that came with immortality. After a hundred years of grief, heartache, and loss, it wasn't so unreasonable for the lone survivor to distance himself from the world and its inhabitants, to grow cold and petulant in an attempt to protect himself from despair. So far Jack hadn't been defeated by such a bitter attitude and Gwen was proof; he should be proud of that.

Nevertheless, he knew he was leading her headfirst into danger and if the Master came out triumphant, as was all too likely, Jack would have to spend the rest of eternity suffering from unbearable guilt. His hands would be stained with Gwen's blood, as they already were with Owen's, Tosh's, and how many others? Could he really be proud of that? Could he really take that chance? Could he actually gamble with Gwen's life?

He didn't have a choice. The Doctor wasn't here, Rose and Ianto were both prisoners, Martha, Mickey, and Rhys could be on the other side of the galaxy for all he knew, and since they were stuck in a parallel world he didn't even have the advantage of being on his home turf. Gwen was the only help he had. He needed her. As much as he wanted to retcon her, call a taxi, and send her out of harm's way, he knew that was impossible. Hell, it was a parallel world. For once Gwen had nowhere else to go.

Maybe Martha had been right. Maybe he should have permitted her to call the Doctor when she still had the chance. No one could bring back Tosh and Owen, but at least Jack could have asked the Time Lord how he coped being responsible for so many humans when humans died so easily and so very quickly. It wasn't fair. He never asked for any of this. When he first stepped foot inside the Doctor's Tardis, when he agreed to travel with the Time Lord, this had never been part of the arrangement. And yet… he wouldn't trade it for anything. He might have been better _off_ as a coward, but he was _better_ as a friend. The Doctor, Rose, Ianto… their friendships meant the world to him and he would fight every losing battle the universe threw at him for their sakes. He just wished the price wasn't so high.

**ooooooo**

"How's it coming, then?" Rhys asked for the seventh time as Martha, Mickey, and Toshiko stepped out of Saxon's Tardis and scuttled towards the Doctor's. For the past half hour he and Jake had been sitting out on two uncomfortable stools, their backs to Rose, feeling utterly useless because they had never traveled by Tardis before and therefore could only help by keeping out of the way. Martha's plan still seemed mad to the pair of them, even though Mickey was warming up to it and Toshiko looked elated, but that was beside the point. At least they were doing something. At least they had something with which to occupy themselves. If Rhys was seriously considering taking off in a ridiculous spaceship to rally an army against some evil genius, then was it too much to ask for a means to contribute? For some odd little job to distract himself from the heart-stopping panic he felt whenever he imagined venturing to alien worlds?

As Martha and Mickey slipped inside the blue box, Toshiko glanced back at Rhys with a wide grin. "I think I've finally determined why the two ships have such different consoles. Saxon's is automatic; the Doctor's is manual. Saxon can just type in a destination and hit a switch, but the Doctor would have to pilot it, literally pilot it. Ironically, his console is hexagonal, like it's been split into six stations. It needs six pilots!"

Beaming, Toshiko scrambled after Martha and Mickey, having been inexplicably transformed from a frightened, broken wretch to a hopeful, blossoming young woman, like she'd been reborn or something. Rhys didn't know what to make of her and as he tried understanding, Jake counted with his fingers. "There's only five of us. Six pilots, but just the five of us. Unless we can convince Pete… No way that's ever going to happen. But does it really need six? I mean, after all, the Doctor was just one man…"

"You're asking the wrong bloke," Rhys grumbled. He stared bleakly at the blue box, wondering what Toshiko and Martha were doing inside. Could they really make it fly? And what would it be like traveling through space? "You know astronauts have to go through extensive training before they're allowed to take off to the moon. Just to the moon. And it's farther away than it looks, too. Takes them days to get there. The sun, now that's the closest star to Earth and it's still millions of miles away. Millions. And we're off to the other side of the galaxy?" He was shaking. "Oh my god, I can't leave Gwen here. Have you ever seen _Lost in Space_? We go out there, we won't come back, I just know it, and even if we do, won't time be dilated or something? Like we're still the same age but everyone else is seventy years older? Oh my god."

Jake was staring at him. "Okay, mate, you need to calm down. First of all, this thing's a time machine. I don't think time dilation is gonna be a real issue. Besides, Mickey says he's traveled through space before. The Tardis is dependable. We're just… taking it out for a spin, that's all."

"Easy for you to say," Rhys snapped. "I know this is supposed to be a parallel world and all, but it's not really parallel, is it? You lot are three years ahead of me. It's 2011 here! You might be ready for this sort of thing, but I'm not. I'm still living in the bloody Dark Ages, aren't I?" This must be how explorers felt hundreds of years ago, when they still believed the world was flat and the ocean crawling with sea monsters. And yet… they still dared to set sail, not knowing what their destination looked like or if they would ever return. Where did they draw such courage? Or was it just stupidity? Curiosity killed the cat, right?

"Gwen would go," he said after a beat. "Jack would. I suppose he has, actually. Martha, too." Slowly, Rhys glanced over his shoulder and looked at Rose. She was a stranger to him and obviously quite young. Too young to have traveled across galaxies, too young to be pinned up in that web. She was the damsel in distress and there they were ignoring her, sitting with their backs to her because she was maddening to look at. Her situation reminded him of the giant space whale Torchwood attempted to rescue earlier that year. It was the first alien Rhys had ever seen and he hadn't been able to save it. What if they couldn't save Rose? She was so beautiful, so mesmerizing, a stranger, but a treasured stranger.

"Hey!" Jake slapped his arm, snapping him out of a bizarre reverie. Rhys met his gaze, shocked. What happened? Jake was glaring at him. "You're not supposed to look at her, Rhys! Come on." He hopped off the stool and jostled Rhys toward the Doctor's Tardis. "Blimey. Whoever said 'look before you leap' did a real disservice to potential freedom fighters. Be spontaneous, mate, and live a little."

As the two men stepped inside the blue police box, Rose's golden eyes shimmered. "I am the Bad Wolf," she said, though no one was around to hear. "I am the Bad Wolf. I am the Bad Wolf."

**ooooooo**

"Gwen," Jack said, speaking through his comm while holding the sonic screwdriver up to one of the building's circuit breakers. "I'm going to cut the power. It's about to get very dark in here. Where are you?"

"Staircase," she replied. "I found a directory and apparently the observation deck is on the two hundredth floor. Would you believe this place actually serves as a hotel for space travelers?"

"At this point, you could tell me it's a health spa for weevils and I wouldn't be surprised." Sparks flew out of the circuit breaker and Jack fell backwards, shielding his face with an arm, wondering if he overdid it. "All right, Gwen. Pick up your pace and if anyone asks, you're looking into the problem. When you get to the observation deck, politely request whoever's there to evacuate. Orders from Colonel Mace. Don't worry about the zeppelins; there should be protocol for this sort of thing. The pilots can handle it. Focus on finding the transmitter and destroying it." So far so good, just like Gwen said. Everything was going according to plan and Jack would almost call it painless, except he knew things would get trickier, deadlier, once Saxon was finally onto them. For the moment, they remained under the radar and hopefully they would stay that way until Jack found Ianto.

Ianto… How could he have let this happen to Ianto? He still remembered John's words, that Saxon meant to expose Ianto to all the horrors of the universe and while Jack naturally thought 'over my dead body,' the thing was… Saxon wanted him dead. It could easily play out that way. Why did it have to be Ianto?

Golden light poured out of Jack's wrist strap without so much as a warning. Suddenly all thoughts of Ianto, Gwen, and John dissipated as he braced himself for anything and everything. Alert, alarmed, but mostly confused, he attempted to remove the device, to cast it aside before it went and did something unfortunate, like explode.

"Damn it!" Jack couldn't get it off. It was glowing brighter and brighter and it was stuck to him. Desperate, he wielded the sonic screwdriver, but not even Time Lord technology could pry off the wrist strap or reverse whatever the hell was happening. In fact, it only seemed to exasperate the golden light. It was still glowing brighter. Brighter. Brighter. "GWEN!"

Something popped and nanoseconds later Jack's surroundings deformed, twisted, and disappeared. He felt the familiar pang ricocheting through his brain that signaled travel through space or time minus the benefits of a capsule. His wrist strap had been activated, repaired, and now it was pulling him through the Vortex. But to where?

The colorful bands of the Vortex and the dark black of space intertwined, forming a hole that spat Jack out and deposited him in front of a small facility. Actually, it wasn't small, not when compared to regular buildings, but after a jaunt through the Cybus Control Tower, it looked small. It couldn't have had more than ten stories, but it was wide enough to contain several warehouses. A sign on the rooftop loomed over him; the New Cybus Industries. Jack had been teleported to the company's headquarters.

Shaking off the migraine, Jack jogged toward the facility's main entrance. Something wasn't right; he sensed filthiness and vulgarity like a rank odor. What was he doing there? How could any of this be possible? His wrist strap wasn't supposed to work and it shouldn't be glowing. This was bad. He and Gwen were in the middle of an important infiltration; not only was this a frustrating and irksome detour he couldn't afford, it was also wrong. Just wrong. Inexplicably wrong. It reminded Jack of words spoken by the Doctor long ago, all the way at the end of the universe. _"It's not easy even just… just looking at you, Jack, 'cause you're wrong."_

But whether or not it was wrong, whether or not it was inconvenient, whether or not it made Jack's hackles rise, he couldn't back away from it. There was howling in his ears; a rich, resonating cry that urged him forward. It was summoning him; he couldn't resist. It was urgent, forlorn, and strangely beautiful.

The building had been shut down for the night. As Jack bounded up the steps to the main entrance, he found the lobby beyond the glass doors shrouded with shadows. He reached for the sonic screwdriver, he held it up to the lock, but before he could trigger it, he beheld two simple words, a mere seven letters, materializing one by one in brilliant gold paint upon the glass.

Bad Wolf.

Jack stumbled backwards, shocked. Déjà vu. He hated déjà vu. It always sent him reeling wildly out of control. Bad Wolf. Those were the words that haunted Rose. Rose and the Doctor. Jack still didn't know what they meant, but… if they were appearing to him now, as they appeared to the Doctor and Rose, did that mean they were nearby? Was Rose being kept inside the Cybus Industries H.Q.?

"Rose!" Jack shouted, triggering the sonic screwdriver. Impatience, fear, hope, restless excitement, they were all vying for control, slowly overwhelming him. It was absurd; Jack took pride in his steadfast cool, in his levelheadedness. Nothing ever flustered him and he preferred it that way. But now… it would have been embarrassing had he only enough room amidst his chaotic jumble of emotions to feel embarrassment. He was distraught. But Rose… she was so close.

The latch clicked and the doors slid open, but before Jack could take a single step into the lobby he was pulled backwards. The Vortex! It hadn't sealed itself! The portal remained open and was now sucking Jack in like a slingshot. He tried fighting it, he struggled futilely. Rose… He shouted her name, holding out his arms…

The Vortex swallowed him whole and then ejected him out into a cold underground chamber. His head felt like it was on fire and it took him a moment to collect his bearings. Rose… he might not have seen her, but he had definitely felt her. They could have touched… and now he was god only knew where, farther from saving her than ever before, and with a migraine to boot. Damn it!

Catching his breath, Jack took in his latest surroundings. The chamber was expansive and lit by the blinding floodlights fastened to the ceiling. The ceiling itself was low enough to reach and made out of hard, jagged rocks. The floor, on the other hand, was glass, or rather some kind of a decadron crucible variant. It was highly advanced and generally impenetrable. Jack frowned; it wasn't the floor. The floor was nearly two meters beneath the glass and made out of rocks, just like the ceiling.

Steel frames crisscrossed along the surface of the glass, forming a large grid and when Jack took a closer look, he realized he was standing on top of a layer of cubes. They had been packed together like blocks, fashioning a raised floor. And trapped inside each of the glass cubes, there was a living creature. Some were human and some were obviously alien. This was a prison, these were vaults, and if Jack wasn't sorely mistaken, the only luxuries were chemical toilets, the kind that recycled waste products into food.

Jack nearly threw up. This place… it was the kind of place where people were left to rot. They couldn't escape and thanks to the chemical toilets they didn't need guards bringing them meals. The air was fetid, but breathable, the temperature was cold, but bearable. It was the perfect place to trap someone, especially someone you wanted to forget.

"Hey! That's my coat!"

Jack whirled around at the sound of his own voice and, taking several steps forward, peered down into one of the glass cubes beneath him. The prisoner, much to his astonishment, was Captain Jack Harkness in the flesh.

**ooooooo**

**A/N: **Please, please, please, please review. Cheers!


	13. Untimely Interruptions

**A/N: **This chapter's a little shorter, but I reckon it's full of good stuff. You'll have to tell me what you think. Allons-y!

**ooooooo**

"Jack!" Gwen tried her comm for the fourth time, but it still wasn't getting through. Something must have happened to him. He had tried contacting her, he had screamed her name, sounding so distressed, but now he was silent and Gwen feared the worst. She reminded herself that Jack couldn't die, at least not for long, and that wherever he was, she could use Captain John's wrist strap to track him. She couldn't let this distract her from the task at hand. She had a job to do and Jack was counting on her. Wasn't he?

They were inside an extra large control tower fighting against Harold Saxon, the Master, the evil genius, mad scientist, Time Lord, whatever the hell you wanted to call him, and instead of trusting her to help him find Ianto and Rose, he had sent her off to take care of the transmitter hypnotizing a planet full of strangers. Gwen supposed it was the right thing to do, but this was a parallel world and its inhabitants weren't her responsibility. All she wanted was to find her friends, her husband, and a way home. And maybe while she was at it, Owen and Tosh too. Well, probably, all right, definitely Owen and Tosh too. Otherwise, what was the point to there being parallel worlds in the first place?

Anyway, the fact was she could be doing any number of useful things, _personal_ things, things that ought to be done in a parallel world, rather than run errands to save the day like she did every damn day of the week. Being in this world… it changed things, it made things personal, and Gwen couldn't help wondering if Jack was piling up a mountain-load of busy-work in front of her to keep her from getting burned. Did he actually need that transmitter destroyed? Or was he just trying to keep her out of the way? He still wouldn't tell her anything about his history with Saxon, other than how much he dreaded the bastard, and he would rather have Gwen run away like a coward than stand her ground and fight as Owen and Tosh had fought. What did he take her for?

Anger was bubbling back up inside her. She climbed flight after flight of staircases, shoving past people who were on their way down because Jack had cut the power and they would rather join in the festivities on the sky lobby than wait it out by their work stations. They had it easy; not a care in the world. Gwen, on the other hand, was close to panicking. Jack had shut her out yet again and now he couldn't even respond to her calls over the comm. Ianto was a prisoner, Rhys and Martha were M.I.A., and with Jack possibly incapacitated it might very well be up to Gwen to stop Saxon alone. Completely alone. She didn't know if she could handle that and beneath such pressure her fears, doubts, disappointments, and constant grief were all adding up to resent. Anger. Fury. Why did Jack have to put her through this? Why? It was driving her crazy!

After what felt like hours, Gwen finally reached the two hundredth floor. The door, which should have been shut and locked, had been propped open by a chair. Considering the number of people Gwen had passed on her way up, she assumed some must have been from the observation deck. Power goes out and they take the opportunity to slip away from their posts. Wasn't that just typical? Rolling her eyes, Gwen kicked the chair out of her way, stormed inside, and allowed the door to slam shut behind her.

The observation deck was a large circular room that bulged out from the rest of the building not unlike a snake digesting its latest meal. Windows covered every inch of the walls, the stairs and elevator shaft having been constructed in the center of the room like a pole running through a globe. The globe itself was filled with computers, radars, meteorological instruments, flight plan monitors, communicative light guns, telephones, radios, and other high-tech equipment most of which Gwen wouldn't have been able to identify even if they had been turned on and operational.

The deck was mostly abandoned though five or six diligent workers remained at their stations. A single U.N.I.T. guard stood at the ready, his arms cradling a large weapon that might have intimidated Gwen had the guard himself been more relaxed and confident. As it was, he looked tense and overly cautious, stiff and sweaty. He must have been worried about the power outage and Gwen, remembering Jack's instructions, could use that to her advantage.

"Excuse me," she said, striding purposefully toward the guard. He flinched when he saw her, but nevertheless held her gaze. "I've orders from Colonel Mace. We need to get these people out of here," she gestured around the room, "while I look into the blackout." He opened his mouth but Gwen held up a reproving hand, cutting him off. "No time for questions. I don't want to start a panic, but this is an emergency." And then, just for good measure… "Trust me on this."

It was a bit of a gamble, but the guard immediately lowered his defenses. He even smiled. "Yes, mum." The next thing Gwen knew he was marching across the deck politely advising every last employee to pack up and head out. There was no longer any doubt in Gwen's mind; Pete Tyler's famous catchphrase was indeed manipulating the populace. She didn't know whether or not the phrase served to broaden human suggestibility and could therefore be used by anyone, whether or not the guard himself was unusually susceptible, or whether or not their proximity to the transmitter increased its influence; those details generally fell into Tosh's department. But Gwen did know the guard was much more cooperative than he should have been and she had hypnotism to thank for it.

One by one the irritated workers filed out of the room, descending down the stairs while complaining about inconvenient disruptions. Gwen stood off to the side glaring back at whoever dared frown at her until finally the door shut behind the last man. Once again on her own, she counted to ten and commenced her search for anything resembling an alien subliminal message transmitter.

**ooooooo**

"Where's Ianto?" Jack knelt on top of the lid to his alternate self's cube-shaped glass prison, peering down at the prisoner who in turn looked up at him impassively. According to John, this alternate Jack Harkness had been captured by Suzie and Saxon alongside him and Ianto. Consequently, he must have known about the parallel world and sure enough he seemed neither surprised nor perturbed by Jack's appearance. Ordinarily that would have been a good thing, indicating little need for explanations, but with Jack still recovering from his ride through the Vortex where he'd just missed Rose and with this alternate Harkness clearly undaunted, at the top of his game, it was impossible to tell who had the greater advantage.

"Sorry," Harkness said, assessing Jack with a slight smirk. He might be trapped inside a small glass container, but that didn't hinder his talent for reading people and situations. He was in the lead and he knew it. "I don't think I know anyone named… oh!" His eyes widened dramatically. "You must be talking about Eye Candy. Of course." He tapped on the glass lid. "Get me out of this box. _Then_ I'll tell you where they took Ianto."

Jack hesitated, glancing at the container's steel frames. The glass, or decadron crucible variant and whatever the hell it was, had evidently been bolted into shape, which would make the cubes easy to pull apart with the sonic screwdriver's help. Five minutes was all it would take. But then, would those five minutes be well spent? Already other prisoners were turning to watch and for all Jack knew any one of them would be more trustworthy and helpful than his double. He glanced down at them sympathetically before glaring at Harkness. "And I'm supposed to believe they just gave you that information? Let it slip, did they?" Jack shook his head. "You'll have to do better than that. I know how this game's played, I've played it myself more than once. You convince me to free you and then you screw me over first chance you get."

"Not a bad idea," Harkness said smoothly. "Here's how I picture it. I convince you to free me, we swoop in to rescue Ianto, treat him two for one, and finally experience for ourselves the pleasures we bring to others." He held out his arms. "It's a good bargain. I'll never have another chance to really enjoy myself without crossing timelines and causing a paradox, now will I? And it's certainly better than what the guy upstairs has planned, I can tell you that. So what do you say?"

Under normal circumstances, Jack would have appreciated the offer. He might have even considered accepting it. Unfortunately, at that moment he was just too preoccupied and all too familiar with "the guy upstairs" to bother with such temptations. He had more pressing matters to attend to. "First of all, I don't share Ianto with anyone. Period. And since I plan on returning home the second I get what I've come for, I really don't have time to be fighting over you with John. Believe me, he wants you more than I do."

Harkness scoffed. "Don't remind me. He's even worse than the Koeglan Chieftain, and that's really saying something. But if I can get bored of Captain John Hart, you can get bored of Eye Candy. And when that day comes, if you let me go, I'll be willing to take him off your hands and spare you the trouble of a desperate, clingy ex."

"Never going to happen," Jack assured him coldly. He didn't get bored of the people he loved. Not anymore at least. He had lived too long, he had lost too much, and he had learned not to take his friends, his family, for granted. Least of all Ianto. His mind's eye caught sight of Owen and Tosh and he winced, fighting back the pain. "This is such a waste of time." He stood back up, turned away from his double, and glanced across the prison. On the other side he spotted a ladder leading up to a hatch in the ceiling. It looked like the only way out and would doubtless be locked.

"I can help you," Harkness confidently insisted without the slightest trace of concern in his voice. Even now with Jack walking away from him, he sounded completely in control and more than a bit smug. Jack hated him already. "Granted, this tower's gone under a lot of construction since last year, but I bet I can still find my way around the first two hundred floors. Rose gave me the grand tour. You know Rose, don't you?" Jack clenched his jaw, slowly turning back. Harkness nodded. "Thought you might. This tower belongs to U.N.I.T. I can get you to armories, storage rooms, offices, food courts, even to the alien embassy. I happen to know exactly where the repository for alien technology is located. Had a heist here once."

"I actually heard about that," Jack said. "Rose trusted you because she trusts me. But you're not me, are you? You're not anything like me. You stole a case of hepsgard alloy, betraying Rose's trust, and then left her with a broken heart. After everything she's been through." At least Harkness had the decency to avert his eyes; maybe there was some shame in him after all. To be fair, he was still just a kid. The age difference between Jack and his double was astronomical, whether or not they looked like twins. Besides, in this world, Harkness had never met the Doctor.

"So, you and Rose were close, huh?" Harkness asked once they both caught their breaths. "What happened? How come she ended up in a parallel world? How come you're only trying to rescue her now? And how come you're with Ianto? Maybe I'm not the only one who betrayed her."

"I didn't betray Rose," Jack snapped. If anything, the Doctor had betrayed him, but that was all the past now. The last thing he wanted was to think about Satellite Five. "I just… We got separated. Long story." The ladder at the end of the room was taunting him. He knew he should be climbing it, forcing the hatch open with the sonic screwdriver, leaving his double to contemplate a long and miserable future confined in a glass cube while he carried on his search for Ianto and Rose, but something about it all was nagging him. The longer he stood there, the more difficult it became to just walk away.

"What's the matter?"

Jack grimaced, his body suddenly convulsing. "I don't… It's…" He couldn't finish his sentence. Slowly, he sank to his knees. For the second time in under fifteen minutes, déjà vu coursed through him, but instead of just distressing him, it actually hurt. He stared down at Harkness in alarm. "The Time Agency!" He had felt this way once or twice before over a hundred years ago, back when he and John were partners on probation at the Time Agency.

"Right," Harkness nodded as if he'd expected nothing less. "Well, I can't say I'm surprised. They did make a deal with Lieutenant-General Sanchez to track us down and clean up the galaxy. If I didn't know any better, I'd say they have you in an inhibitor wave, but those things are generally programmed to affect specific molecular structures, which means if it's got you, it should have me as well." He almost laughed. "Unless, of course, the genetic transfer I underwent to evade Captain John still hasn't worn off yet." Hatred would have burned through Jack if he hadn't been so numb. Meanwhile, Harkness pressed his hands against the glass lid of his container. "You still have time. Get me out of this thing. I can help you."

But it was too late for that. The hatch leading down into the prison abruptly fell open and one by one five figures dropped into the chamber. The first Jack recognized as Suzie Costello. The second, third, and fourth were official Time Agents carrying weapons from the factories of Villengard and dressed as cowboys from the wild west. However, it was the fifth man who caught Jack's attention, more so than even Suzie. He wore jeans and a black leather coat, his dark hair short and curly, his face young and gentle though somewhat patronizing. In one hand he held the small pyramidal inhibitor machine and around his wrist he bore the strap of a Time Cadet training to be an Agent.

"Gray!" Jack gasped, shock stunning him more effectively than the inhibitor wave. What the hell? His brother was a Time Cadet?

Gray smiled, approaching him triumphantly. "Long time, no see, Jack. Now what do you say we take you home?"

**ooooooo**

Gwen swept frantically around the observation deck searching for the transmitter. So far she wasn't having any luck; the device could be anywhere, hidden inside anything. Maybe it wasn't even a mechanism, but a computer program or a satellite or something. No joy. She needed Tosh or someone else with Tosh's expertise. Where the hell was Jack?

At that moment the lights decided to flash back on. The computer screens and other monitors lit up while the equipment rumbled to life. Gwen nearly screamed, her heart leaping through her throat. The power was back on, which meant people would be returning to their stations any minute now. She was running out of time. "You've got to be kidding me!"

Turning in a large circle, Gwen regarded every instrument she could see from her measly vantage point. Nothing looked even remotely alien. It was all high-tech and state of the art, but not too advanced to suggest Time Lord interference. Humans were capable of developing some pretty sophisticated machinery on their own; just look at the computer chip. If only there was a great big red button or a sign with an arrow or something else to point her in the right direction…

The elevator dinged and the door slid open. Gwen faced it sharply, holding her breath. If necessary, her gun was well within reach and she could find plenty of cover behind desks and equipment, but she didn't want to jump the gun just yet. If at all possible, she had to keep up appearances. She had to find the transmitter. Therefore she barely moved and struggled to keep her face blank as Lieutenant-General Sanchez himself stepped off the elevator and observed her. "I was told to expect a renegade Time Agent. Captain Jack Harkness. So who are you?"

"Believe it or not," Gwen said quietly, remembering how flustered and upset he'd been earlier at the party on the sky lobby. She was taking another gamble here, but she was trusting her instincts. "I'm a friend. Jack and I, we're here to help you. We're here to stop Saxon." Sanchez sighed, holding his hands behind his back. He stared at her expectantly, his brows arching over two tired brown eyes. Gwen hesitated, recognizing the man's skepticism. He almost reminded her of Owen. "I know Saxon has you people convinced he's the Doctor, but he's not. He's the Doctor's enemy. Jack called him the Master. Now we believe he's got a device that's transmitting a signal through the zeppelins to the general public. It's hypnotizing them. It's hypnotizing you. We have to find the transmitter and destroy it. I imagine it's something Saxon installed himself over the past year."

"The Master?" Sanchez groaned, his shoulders sagging pathetically. "I might have known." He moved away from the elevator, walking around the central wall towards the back of the observation deck. Gwen blinked, her mouth open, her arms limp at her sides. Did he actually believe her? Just like that? She scrambled after him, noting the urgency they were suddenly sharing. "I always assumed there was something wrong with Saxon. Somehow, he just doesn't fit the Doctor's M.O. Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart always described him as an eccentric chap who prefers anonymity despite his constant need for attention, which he freely confessed was paradoxical. Saxon might play the part well, but he's ambitious. Too ambitious."

"Then you know about the Master?" Gwen asked eagerly, wondering if Sanchez could provide her with greater insight into the man who frightened Jack. She knew what her priorities were supposed to be, but she couldn't keep her curiosity at bay. She had to know more.

"I should say so," Sanchez replied, leading her over to a desk where a large black phone, a landline, sat obscurely among stacks of manila folders. It wasn't worth a second glance, but when Sanchez picked the handset up off the desktop, he revealed a hidden device in the cradle that resembled Jack's Doctor's sonic screwdriver, though it was a bit longer, about the phone's length, and yellow. He stared down at it bleakly. "Most of us veterans would know the name, or the title, or whatever it is. The Master spent a great deal of his time in the seventies, god knows why. Maybe Earth was more vulnerable then. Unfortunately, these days he's passed into legend. We dropped our guard. Daft of us. He is a time traveler, after all."

Carefully, Gwen reached for the device. The small bulb at the tip which flashed blue in the sonic screwdriver was instead flashing yellow, in a patterned sequence. Three very short, very rapid blinks followed by a long, drawn out blink. It reminded Gwen of a rhythm she used to have stuck in her head all the time. Trying not to think about it, she tentatively pulled the device free of the desktop cradle. It came loose quite easily and the light immediately shut off. Gwen glanced up at Sanchez, who smiled.

"That was it," he said. "I can already feel the relief in my head. It's been an endless migraine these past few months. I owe you my…"

He never got the chance to thank her properly. A single, deafening gunshot fired through the room, drowning out his words. Gwen screamed, her ears ringing, as the back of the Lieutenant-General's head blew apart. He collapsed onto the desk, dead within seconds.

Heart hammering, Gwen spun around, only to find herself staring down the barrel of a gun held by Harold Saxon himself. She almost screamed a second time, stumbling backwards as he grinned at her wickedly. His eyes were sparkling and though he still reeked of pheromones, there was something so maniacal about him that Gwen was too repulsed to feel any sort of attraction. Her hand tightened around his yellow device because she had nothing else to defend herself with; he would kill her if she reached for her gun.

"I also owe you my thanks," Saxon said pleasantly, which chilled Gwen to the bone. "I've been meaning to rid myself of Sanchez for weeks now. Had an elaborate plan to depose him and everything. But you just simplified matters, didn't you?" He took a step towards her and Gwen found it hard to breathe. Where the hell was Jack? Rhys? Owen? Suddenly she could see Owen's face right in front of her, clearer than ever before. Her vision blurred as tears brimmed in her eyes. What was the last thing she ever said to him? She couldn't remember. Damn it, why did it have to hurt so much when she should be worried about her own life?

"What is your name, my dear?" Saxon asked with mock gentleness. He was savoring this, Gwen could tell. "What is the name of Lieutenant-General Sanchez's murderer?" He would turn her into a scapegoat. She would be remembered as an assassin.

_Get it together, Gwen,_ she told herself. Owen went out fighting, she could too. Gritting her teeth, she slammed her hand against Captain John's wrist strap. Seconds later it was teleporting her through the Vortex, away from Saxon, certain death, and possible degradation. She could escape from anything. Anything… except from the heartache that worsened everyday.

**ooooooo**

**A/N: **Please review. Cheers!


	14. Guilt and Innocence

**A/N: **I apologize if this chapter is slightly confusing. We've got two Captain Jack Harknesses. What do you expect? Allons-y!

**ooooooo**

_"I begrudge you everything. I want to rip it all from you. To leave you_ _screaming in the dark. I will never absolve you. All of it, it's your fault."_

Jack doubled over, conscious of the pain but too subdued to worry about it. Memories of his last encounter with Gray played through his mind, memories of the heartache and betrayal, memories of the guilt, but he felt no despair. Inhibitor waves were used by the Time Agency to physically discipline unmanageable Agents without causing emotional damage, ultimately knocking them unconscious. In other words, they were cruel and nasty tranquilizers. Jack had experienced them on occasion long ago while on probation with John. He would have preferred a bullet.

The three Time Agent cowboys pushed past Gray and circled around Jack, deliberately showing off their holsters and chuckling in amusement. They had no intention of shooting him or otherwise crippling him, not with the inhibitor wave working its magic, but they were still typical Time Agents and they wanted to look impressive, especially in front of a Cadet. Jack could hear them taunting him, but he could barely make out their words. It was a struggle just to stay awake. He had to concentrate; he had to hold on. Hold on? Onto what?

"You never should have left…" one of the cowboys was informing him. He wore a black hat and had extremely green eyes. "Don't you know better, Jack? You can't just desert…"

"You'll be spending the next few weeks in with Mr. Reynolds…" another was saying. He had a red bandanna around his neck. "Word is Mr. Reynolds can rehabilitate just about anything…" The third cowboy, who was wearing a beaded buckskin jacket, opened his mouth to contribute but by then Suzie had stormed forward and without hesitation she kicked Jack in the face. Blood gushed from his nose as the blow sent him careening off the lid of his double's container. The blood was thick; it smelled metallic.

"There's been a mix-up," Suzie explained as the Time Agents glanced from one Jack to the other. So many questions… Jack could hear his own voice greeting the cowboys flippantly while Gray demanded to know the reason he suddenly had two brothers. A fog was billowing around Jack; it was getting harder to see, harder to hear. The room itself was tipping precariously. "No, there are not two Jacks," Suzie said. "This one's just a fraud. Mr. Saxon suspects he's a shape-shifter. And a proficient one at that, given the effect your device is having on him."

"This device locks onto specific molecular structures," Red Bandana said impatiently. "To all intents and purposes, this man is Captain Jack Harkness. The one down there is not." He pointed at Jack's double, who grinned back up at him through the glass. "Why would you assume the man with Jack's molecular structure is the fraud and not the one immune to the inhibitor wave?" They didn't know about the parallel Jack's genetic transfer and if Jack was in his double's shoes he wouldn't own up to it, not when it seemed the Time Agents were about to arrest someone else in his stead.

"Trust me on this," Suzie insisted. "You want the Jack in the cell. He was arrested in the company of John Hart. We know for a fact he's your man. And what's more, he is the only one I'm authorized to release to you. The other, the shape shifter, is wanted for questioning."

She was lying through her teeth. There weren't any shape shifters and she knew it. There were only two Jacks from two different worlds. The Time Agency wanted _their_ Jack back and Suzie wanted Jack himself shot in the head, not brought in for questioning. But even if the three cowboys stubbornly believed that Jack was _their _Jack while _their _Jack was a shape shifter because the inhibitor machine couldn't see through _their _Jack's genetic transfer, Jack himself would still be set back from rescuing Ianto and Rose. He couldn't exactly save anyone from the fifty-first century, especially if he was subjugated to Mr. Reynolds' rehab. He had to get out of here.

"And where is Captain John Hart?" Black Hat asked scornfully. "If you arrested them together, shouldn't he be here as well?"

"It's interesting how the Jack you claim is a shape shifter happens to have a Time Agent's wrist strap while the one in the cell doesn't," Buckskin Jacket said, stooping down next to Jack and carefully removing the device from his wrist. Jack tried fighting him off, but his attempts were feeble at best and the cowboy held him down effortlessly. "I suppose you'd have us believe it was confiscated. In that case, why don't you hand it over?" He glanced at Suzie expectantly, but she just gawked at him.

"The wrist strap was confiscated, I can assure you, but it's now in Mr. Saxon's possession," she finally said, somewhat anxiously. "You _can _trust me on this." Pete's catchphrase, which Saxon had been using to hypnotize the world, suddenly wasn't working. The Time Agents weren't easily swayed and Suzie was losing face with every word. Gwen must have done it. She must have found the transmitter.

Jack felt his nose recovering from Suzie's kick. The blood was drying and in the process he gained temporary immunity to the inhibitor wave, one of the few advantages to being immortal. It wouldn't last long, however, and if he didn't act quickly he'd lose whatever chance he had at escaping. This was a parallel world. He couldn't let anything distract him. Not inhibitor waves, not Time Agencies, and certainly not Gray. He had to follow his own rules here. If Gwen couldn't see Owen and Tosh… Oh god, Gwen. He had to find her before she found him, before she found Gray. If they ended up face to face… Jack didn't want to contemplate her possible reactions.

Drawing strength from the last of his reserves, Jack reached into his pocket and grabbed the sonic screwdriver. Working deftly, he found a setting and amplified it as much as possible before triggering it. Sonic sound waves immediately oscillated through the room, screeching loudly and discordantly. Jack winced as everyone else covered their ears, howling in shock. Gray dropped the inhibitor machine which splintered and fragmented as it hit the glass floor. Unfortunately, the relief Jack was aiming for didn't wash over him. He was every bit as vulnerable to the sonic screwdriver as the rest of the assemblage and if the sound waves didn't cause permanent auditory damage it would be a miracle. Jack wasn't the Doctor; he had no idea what he was doing. He could only pray for the best.

The resonance caused the glass to vibrate; every cube-shaped vault trapping every human or alien prisoner beneath the makeshift floor started rippling. Jack braced himself and seconds later the glass shattered. Shards rained down on the prisoners, cutting into them, drawing blood, while Jack, Gray, Suzie, and the cowboys plunged to the ground. Jack landed heavily, dazed as magnified screams echoed around him. Trembling, he pulled his finger off the screwdriver and basked in the fleeting silence that ended when the prisoners broke for the hatch in the ceiling. They were trampling him, but he didn't mind. After all, what better way to divert his enemies than to launch a chaotic stampede?

"Outta my way!" Captain Harkness tore through the mass, pushing around aliens and shoving them off Jack. Momentarily in the clear, Jack rolled to his feet and reached up for the steel frames that remained intact, skeletal remnants of the glass cubes. Hauling himself up, he balanced on a narrow beam and reached down for his double. Harkness took the proffered hand with a charming grin. "I knew we could help each other. We make the perfect team." They steadied themselves on their perches above the stampede, catching their breaths, slowly recovering from the ringing onslaught. Harkness glanced at the sonic screwdriver in admiration. "What is that thing?"

Jack shook his head. "Doesn't matter, it's not mine." He was still armed. The Time Agents had probably been waiting for the inhibitor wave to knock him out before seizing his weaponry, a fact they would soon regret. As the prisoners clumped around the hatch, grappling for the ladder, Jack scanned the area for the cowboys. Black Hat was lying limp on the ground, pieces of glass sprinkling his arms and legs while Red Bandana sat stunned on a chemical toilet. Buckskin Jacket appeared no worse for wear; he was helping Gray to his feet. Suzie, on the other hand, had all but vanished. She was nowhere in sight.

Drawing his stun gun, Jack aimed at Buckskin Jacket and fired. Gray stumbled backwards as the Agent collapsed, clearly shaken. He didn't look anything at all like the bitter, heartbroken, angry man back in Jack's reality, he looked like a frightened Time Cadet who couldn't believe his big brother's behavior. As Jack swung towards him, Gray glanced uncertainly from one to the other, no doubt wondering which was which and whether or not he could trust the alleged shape shifter.

Landing on the ground, Jack raised every mental barrier and fortification he could muster to guard himself against the whirlwind of emotions threatening to devour him. Gray was his brother; the only family he had left. He had been tortured, broken by creatures more sadistic than the Dalek Emperor. He had lost everything, he had experienced the agonies of hell, and it was all Jack's fault… because Jack let go of his hand…

They were just children living on the Boeshane Peninsula, running for their lives. Jack was responsible for Gray, but he was so young and so scared he couldn't see straight. It felt like the world was ending and the only thing Jack could hear was his pounding heart. The screams, the explosions, they all faded into the background. How was he supposed to look after his brother when he couldn't fight the tunnel vision? Somewhere along the way he'd lost hold of Gray's hand without even noticing. His oversight cost Gray his sanity and Owen and Tosh their lives. But not here; not in this reality. Either the Boeshane Peninsula had never been ravaged or Jack Harkness had managed to protect his brother, because Gray was a Time Cadet now. In this world, Gray was safe. And Jack felt like he was burning up inside.

He was a miserable failure. He wasn't able to rescue Gray; he wasn't able to rescue Owen or Tosh; he could barely save the world without making a mess of things, not like the Doctor. He was nothing compared to the Doctor. Cardiff had no wonders to contrast with the horrors Torchwood dealt with every damned day of the week; Jack had nothing to show his team that might make up for the Rift. He couldn't shelter Ianto; he couldn't comfort Gwen. He had been utterly useless during the year that never was; what made him think he could fight Saxon in a parallel world? What chance did he have?

No. Those were thoughts he needed to avoid; feelings he needed to bury. He wasn't forgiven, he would never be forgiven, but he couldn't just give up and he couldn't falter. Rose was waiting for him. And if nothing else could keep him fighting, then the thought of what she'd been suffering all this time could. Rose was the one person he'd never disappointed, the one person he'd never failed. She was the only hope he had left now and if he let her down not even immortality could keep him from breaking. He would be an empty shell, a husk without a soul.

Anger and anguish were overwhelming him, so he hardened himself under layers of impassivity. Like a Cyberman he settled for cold blank relentlessness. He didn't care if it made him a monster; it was the only way he could function.

Reclaiming his wrist strap from the Time Agent who stole it, Jack forced himself to ignore Gray. He secured the device back into place and began scanning the building for life signs, specifically for heartbeats. If he could pinpoint any individual with two hearts, he'd have Saxon's location. There! He was on the two hundredth floor! The observation deck. Gwen…

**ooooooo**

Gwen staggered through Bute Park, her head pulsating something fierce. She knew it was a bad idea using the wrist strap to teleport all the way to Cardiff; Jack said the side effects were devastating to those unaccustomed to the Vortex. Considering how she had teleported twice in under five minutes, first to escape the Cybus Control Tower and then to reach Cardiff, she was lucky to still be alive. Her head was killing her.

Despite the hour, Gwen had never seen Bute Park more crowded. Apparently London wasn't the only city celebrating the Starlight Festival. Throngs of families had gathered in the verdant green; even little children were still awake and playing cheerfully. Some sort of energy drink was being passed around; bottles and cans of Vitex. A stranger, having observed Gwen's condition, took pity on her and gave her a sealed tin. "Try that, love. Pete Tyler's drink for the future, new and improved. Works like a charm."

Gwen recognized Pete Tyler's name and though he was supposedly a great hero, he was also working for Harold Saxon. After thanking the stranger, she dumped the drink in a trash bin. It wouldn't help her, anyway. Vitex was an energy drink; it kept people awake and alert without resulting in sleep deprivation, but Gwen doubted it could ease a migraine.

She was being foolish, reckless, and disobedient coming here. Jack told her she couldn't see anyone she knew in the parallel world because they would be as much of a stranger to her as the man who offered her the Vitex. Everything was different in Pete's World. For all she knew, Gwen Cooper could be living a completely different life; she might not be a constable, she might not be with Rhys, and more than likely she'd never heard of Torchwood. Of course there was also the possibility that she hadn't even been born.

But Gwen hadn't teleported all the way to Cardiff just to see herself. When she had been standing in that control tower facing Saxon and his gun, falsely accused of Sanchez's murder by the murderer himself, she had thought of Owen. After all this time, she had convinced herself that Owen was just a friend. She was with Rhys now, she had always been with Rhys, while Owen and dear, dear Toshiko were finally catching sight of each other. Time had finally put the past and all their mistakes behind them, but Gwen should have known better. As much as she loved Rhys, a part of her would always love Owen as a part of her still loved Jack. But he was gone now and she had never been able to say goodbye. She couldn't bear it; she had to see him again. Owen…

She felt like she was spinning. She couldn't remember ever being this dizzy before. Spotting an empty bench, Gwen sat down assuring herself she only needed a short break, just a moment to rest. That was when her phone rang.

Who the hell could possibly be ringing her? And then she remembered; her comm wasn't working. Jack was in some sort of trouble and maybe now he was trying to contact her. Guilt stirred inside Gwen as she searched her jacket pockets for her cell. Ianto was still Saxon's prisoner and they hadn't done anything to help Rose yet. Was she abandoning them for one dodgy opportunity to find Owen? What exactly did she think she was doing?

Too disoriented to read the caller I.D., Gwen answered her phone with a weak "Hello?"

"Gwen?" Jack's voice sounded distant, which was understandable since he was in London while she was in Cardiff. "Gwen, are you all right? Where are you?"

She shook her head, blinking rapidly. "I…" She had to answer him. She knew he'd be furious and liable to teleport out here to drag her back to London, but she still had to answer him. He was the captain, her boss, and… and to be perfectly honest he had no right ordering her to run errands for him just as long as she was safe from harm, in which case he wanted her to run away and hide, but not amongst friends. It wasn't fair. "I'm fine," she heard herself lying. "Just a little woozy, Jack. I did what you told me, I disabled the transmitter, but I was caught by Saxon. He shot Lieutenant-General Sanchez and he wants to frame me for it. I teleported outside." Well… it wasn't technically a lie, just a bit of an omission.

"That a girl," Jack said, though he hardly sounded ecstatic or even mildly pleased. His voice was grim and it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out something was wrong. "Listen, I need to keep searching for Ianto. As soon as you get your bearings, see if you can find the New Cybus Industries Headquarters. I'm willing to bet that's where Rose is."

More errands. They never stopped coming. Gwen couldn't… "I'll see what I can do, Jack, just as soon as this headache eases up a bit." She was such a liar. Maybe Jack would realize… There was still a part of her that recognized and acknowledged her imprudence, her stupidity, and that part of her sincerely hoped Jack would come for her, that he would stop her from making a terrible mistake. But she wasn't that lucky.

"Keep in touch," Jack said. "If you find Rose, let me know. We'll get through this, Gwen, I promise." And then he hung up, the connection severed. The next thing Gwen knew she was falling off the bench. Darkness closed in around her.

**ooooooo**

Saxon should have asked Ianto how many travelers came through the Void alongside him and Jack Harkness. Grabbing a sheet of paper and a pencil, he hastily drew a portrait of the mysterious woman "responsible" for Sanchez's death. He had successfully gotten most of the building's power back on, but the cameras remained inactive and if he wanted to apprehend, blame, and execute this woman, he needed something for the guards to work with. Fortunately, Time Lords were rather skilled at sketching.

Whoever she was, Saxon had no doubt in his mind she came from the parallel world. Call it a hunch, one of those Gallifreyan gut feelings. The timing of her arrival and the damage she'd been able to inflict coincided too closely with Jack and Ianto's emergence to be coincidental. Somehow she had known about the subliminal messages, she was capable of resisting them, and she had managed to get a hold of the transmitter. Obviously she hadn't been exposed to the messages long enough for them to condition her into compliancy. And then there was the real kicker… She had John Hart's wrist strap, which Saxon recognized easily. Though the Time Agency's wrist straps were relatively generic, size often varied along with other distinguishing features and Saxon had a good eye. For the woman to posses John Hart's wrist strap, she must have been with Jack Harkness at some point or other. Evidently Captain John had failed in his mission. Either that or he was a traitor. Hardly surprising.

"Harry."

Saxon turned his head and glanced at Suzie, who was holding her earrings between her fingers. Those earrings, when held together, could be used for teleportation and judging by the scowl on her face, she must have absconded from someplace distasteful. "Harry, we have a problem," she said. "Sanchez informed the Time Agency of Jack Harkness' arrest. They sent three Agents and a Cadet to collect him and for the sake of the alliance I escorted them down into the vaults. Guess who was there. The other Jack Harkness." Saxon straightened, facing her fully with crossed arms. "He had some sort of sonic device that shattered the decadron glass of every single one of the cells. We've got a prison break."

"It's worse than that," Saxon said calmly. He handed her his drawing and nodded at Sanchez's body. "The Lieutenant-General has been assassinated. I witnessed this woman shooting him." Suzie huffed, but only until she noticed Saxon smiling. "Our plans are now ahead of schedule. U.N.I.T. will send its finest to deal with the escapees. Most of them are frail and malnourished anyhow; they won't last for long. The only thing we need to worry about is killing Jack Harkness and arresting this woman for murder."

It was coming together perfectly. With Sanchez out of the way and Suzie soon to be promoted, Saxon would own both U.N.I.T. and Torchwood. Before long he would infiltrate the necessary organizations to conquer Earth's allies as he was about to conquer Earth. He would be the supreme ruler. The thought thrilled him and as he sent Suzie away with orders to capture the mysterious woman in the portrait, he felt a great desire to spend some time with his newest pet.

**ooooooo**

**A/N: **Please review. I love reviews. Cheers!


	15. Cruelty

**A/N: **Quick warning: I don't know if it qualifies as torture, angst, whumpage, or whatever, but it's headed directly for Ianto. Allons-y!

**ooooooo**

As the Doctor's Tardis hummed and quivered with mounting vivacity, Martha and Toshiko felt waves of excitement sweeping around them. A greenish hue poured out of both the console and the central column's time rotor, which was finally pumping up and down; the bowed walls were lit with glowing roundels, and beneath the grilled metal floor every piece of technology seemed primed and ready to go.

"We're almost there," Martha said laughing, dancing around the console in a manner that brought the Doctor himself to Mickey's mind. He sat stiffly in one of the ship's chairs, watching the two strange women familiarize themselves with the craft they intended to pilot. Pitching in wherever he could, Mickey's initial skepticism and disapproval regarding Martha's plan gave way to hope and determination as it grew to look more and more promising. Flying to other worlds without the Time Lord's expertise no longer seemed impossible, especially with Martha and Toshiko at the helm. Still, there was something wrong, something missing, that left Mickey cold and uncomfortable. Rose should be there. Maybe he was biased, but the Tardis was Rose's home. They went together; they fit together. It didn't seem right for her to be left outside.

Presently, Pete Tyler was lying miserably on the cot Mickey had pulled out ages ago from one of the roundels. He was still tied down, mostly as a precaution, but the gag had been removed under the condition that he spoke quietly. Jake and Rhys, despite knowing next to nothing about the Tardis, were both eager to help, eager to contribute in some manner, so they had taken it upon themselves to converse with Pete and hopefully convince him of Saxon's duplicity. For hours it seemed futile; Pete Tyler could be as bullheaded as his wife. But then, seemingly in the blink of an eye, he saw the light so to speak.

It happened so rapidly and unexpectedly that at first Mickey smelled a rat. He had spent the better part of a year living alone in the darkest and most obscure corners of the city, refusing to trust anyone, even the people he loved and called family. Was he supposed to believe Pete's change of heart could possibly be genuine? After everything the man had done? There was no way!

But then Pete had started crying. He begged Mickey for forgiveness, he pleaded with Martha to let him outside to see Rose, and he asked Jake for a phone. He said he had to ring Jackie and then the nanny; he wanted to make sure his son, his baby boy, was safe and sound. The man was clearly distraught and after awhile Mickey gave him the benefit of the doubt, though none of his requests were granted. If the phones were tapped, Saxon might learn of his enlightenment. If he went out to see Rose, her condition might drive him mad. And Mickey… well, he wasn't ready to forgive anyone just yet, himself included.

Silently easing out of his chair, Mickey crept toward the wooden doors of the Tardis. No one seemed to notice; Martha and Toshiko were too intent on the console while Jake and Rhys were following up on Pete, but that suited Mickey just fine. He didn't want them witnessing this and more to the point he didn't want them getting in his way. It was personal and something he felt compelled to do. He couldn't leave Earth without first speaking to Rose.

In retrospect, Mickey realized what an idiot he was for trying to liberate her from the Hadron Web. As he stepped out into Saxon's laboratory, he recognized the abomination as something dangerous and lethal. Instinct should have stopped him from recklessly diving to her aid, but love had pushed him over the edge. Temporary insanity, that's what it was called.

Mickey approached Rose slowly, warily, resisting the urge to relapse. Until tonight he had never seen her look so magnificent and powerless. Like a certain tin dog, he felt programmed to assist her. Not just obligated, not just duty bound, but programmed, like it was the sole reason he existed. It was ridiculous; he shouldn't be afraid to look Rose in the eye. She was his best friend! She was alight with the sun, her eyes were on fire, there were rods and cables piercing her body, surrounding her, torturing her, and though she didn't talk, though she didn't look at him or acknowledge him in any way, though she seemed to be staring off into space, for all Mickey knew she could be completely aware of her surroundings. She could be conscious of everything, of every little nuance, every detail, and even the fear on his face. He needed to be strong for her because maybe just once she needed his strength.

"I'm sorry Rose," he eventually said, gazing up at her in devotion. She didn't seem to hear him, she didn't react at all, but it didn't deter him. Doctors and nurses always encouraged friends and family members to chat with comatose patients. They say it helps. And was this any different? Mickey took a deep breath and let it out, trembling as the golden light swirled around in Rose's vacant eyes. "You and I, we've seen it all, haven't we? So many things caught us off guard, turned our lives upside down, changed everything we thought we knew about the world, and I almost missed it."

He almost missed it… because Rose had always been the one thing he had to look forward to when he woke up every morning and he resented the Doctor for taking her away. That resent blinded him; he couldn't imagine anything in the universe more brilliant than Rose and it hurt to think she had found something better than him. "But you were right. You would have stayed with the Doctor your whole life and I don't blame you for that. You said yourself he showed you a better way of living, taught you how to stand up for what you believe in when everyone else just gives up and runs away. But you know something, Rose? I learned all that, too. I learned it from you. Everything the Doctor showed you, you showed me, and I hope one day I'll be able to show someone else." He shrugged, smiling softly. "Maybe Jake. Maybe your little brother, Tony. Who knows? But that don't matter right now because I've got to get you through this thing first. And I will, I promise I will. That's not much, coming from me, but Captain Jack is here and we've got friends figuring out how the Tardis works, so it could be worse."

Mickey heard a door opening and closing behind him. A quick glance over his shoulder revealed Jake watching him in concern. They had finally noticed his absence from the Tardis. At least it was Jake coming to check on him. Aside from Pete, the others were all strangers. Even Martha, though she knew the Doctor. She still wasn't family.

Mickey looked back up at Rose. "I don't want to leave you here, but we're gonna get help. I'm going to fly across the galaxy for you, Rose. Who would have thought I had it in me?" Jake was at his side now, reaching for his hand. "I just wish you'd say something. I just want to hear your voice, Rose. It's been forever. Let me know you're still in there." He didn't know what he was expecting, but Rose didn't answer him. She didn't speak a word and Mickey felt something tightening in his stomach.

"Come on," Jake whispered after a minute passed. He gently tugged on Mickey's hand, carefully guiding him back to the Tardis. Mickey followed limply; he felt hollow and alone, invisible 'cause Rose couldn't respond. It wasn't her fault, but it still disappointed him. He had been praying for a miracle, but like Rose, nothing was answering.

**ooooooo**

Riding an elevator up to the two hundred and fifteenth floor where she spent a fair majority of her time, Suzie Costello took a large swig of Vitex. It was quickly shaping into one of those long, frustrating nights where coffee just wasn't enough and she needed Pete Tyler's energy drink to keep on her toes. Parallel worlds, two Captain Jack Harknesses, the damn Time Agency, a prison break, Sanchez's murder, a mysterious female assassin, and John Hart still on the loose. Welcome to life at U.N.I.T.

Fortunately, Harry wasn't worried, a thought that never ceased to calm Suzie's nerves. Like the escaped prisoners, Jack Harkness and his double would soon be apprehended by elite soldiers trained to secure this facility. None of the fugitives could possibly make it outside. Meanwhile, Suzie had a sketch of Sanchez's killer which she began scanning onto her computer the instant she reached her workstation. Setting her Vitex bottle on the desk next to her coffee mug, she selected one of the applications Harry had designed which compared sketches to photographs. It could make matches within seconds.

Narrowing the parameters of her search to British photo I.D.'s, it didn't take long for Suzie to ascertain the assassin's identity. Gwen Cooper, wife of Rhys Williams, mother of Diana Williams, and oddly enough recently deceased. She had been a Cardiff police constable and was killed in the line of duty. No doubt the assassin was her double from the parallel world. All things considered it was a reasonable explanation and made perfect sense.

"Okay, Miss Gwen, let's see if I can't track you down." Suzie pulled up her radar and typed in a code that would activate the homing beacon she had planted on John Hart's wrist strap before relinquishing the device back on the U.N.I.T. zeppelin when Hart had promised to kill Captain Jack's double. According to Harry, Hart had failed his mission and Harkness had confiscated the wrist strap, obviously giving it to Gwen when they infiltrated the control tower. She had used it to escape after murdering Sanchez.

Mildly irked about losing track of John Hart, the one man she needed to arrest for her promotion, Suzie took solace in the fact that she could at least find the bloody assassin and then, maybe, hopefully, Harry would take her to Bad Wolf. She desperately wanted to see Bad Wolf. Nothing else mattered…

"There you are," Suzie whispered as a red dot began blinking on her radar. Tracing the signal, she determined that John Hart's wrist strap and therefore, presumably, Gwen Cooper were both holed up in Cardiff. The stupid wench had gone home. "Not a bad place to hide I suppose, but still not good enough."

Pulling open a desk drawer, Suzie reached for a handheld radar that required some modification before it picked up the homing beacon. After sticking it in her pocket, she proceeded to e-mail Gwen's personal information to Harry who could do with it as he pleased. Satisfied, Suzie set off to make the necessary preparations for a quick trip to Cardiff. It was just a zeppelin ride away and she intended to punish Gwen for killing the Lieutenant-General.

**ooooooo**

The two helmeted, leather clad thugs had dragged Ianto into what must have been a luxury suite, hardly something he'd expected in what otherwise appeared to be a U.N.I.T. base. Though he wasn't given the grand tour, he discerned multiple rooms with either marble floors or Persian rugs, Tiffany lamps, mahogany tables, framed paintings, most of which were originals, along with modern art sculptures of every size. There was a widescreen television, several state of the art computer systems, and other alien devices that may or may not have been ornamental. Air fresheners filled the suite with an unorthodox blend of fragrances that Ianto found stifling and some sort of humidifier left him damp and sweltering.

He was led into an enormous marble bathroom where the thugs shoved him inside a small bare room, more like an empty closet, clothes and all. Moments later, scorching hot water plunged down on top of him, drenching him from head to foot. Shouting, Ianto threw himself at the door, but it didn't open. Eventually the water dwindled and as soon as it stopped completely a thick cloud of what looked and smelled suspiciously like baby powder bombarded him from silver valves in the walls. He coughed as the valves went on to emit hot air like powerful blow-dryers. They were surprisingly efficient, blowing off the powder and drying off the water, and in a matter of seconds Ianto felt both cleaner and lighter than he ever had before. Somehow, that didn't make him anymore comfortable.

The door to the small room slid open and before he could so much as catch his breath, Ianto was once again snatched by the two thugs. They roughly manhandled him out of the bathroom, forcing him through three parlors and into a dining room. The long mahogany table situated beneath three chandeliers had over a dozen seats, china sets, wine glasses, and entrées Ianto didn't recognize. The chairs were rustic with tapered legs, plush seats, lavish arm rests, and low, carved backs. They looked heavy and sturdy despite their ostensible antiquity.

The two thugs forcefully sat Ianto onto the chair at the head of the table and while one held him down, the other stomped over to a large cabinet. Opening a drawer, he collected several thick leather restraints. Ianto flinched at the sight of them and tried shoving free, but the thugs had herculean strength and the more he resisted, the more they pressed him. They strapped his wrists to the arm rests, fastened his ankles to the front legs, and secured his waist to the back of the chair. After tightening each strap painfully, they wrapped a blindfold over his eyes.

Next, one of the thugs forced back his head and wrenched open his mouth. Food was stuffed in, alien food that tasted vile, but before he could spit it back out a hand clamped over his lips. He struggled against his bonds as hard as he could, but after awhile the only choice he had was to swallow and then they did it all over again. For at least ten more minutes they force-fed him, occasionally making him drink something that left his throat on fire. When they were finally done, Ianto was gasping, helpless and humiliated. And as if to mock him, one of the thugs wiped his face clean with a napkin.

After that, they jammed a rag into his mouth and duct taped it shut. They double-checked the tightness of his restraints and then walked out of the dining room. Ianto could hear their fading footsteps, he could hear doors being shut and locked, and then there was silence.

Unfortunately, he had been right about the chairs; they were too sturdy for him to maneuver no matter how he shifted his weight. Unable to free himself, unable to move, see past the blindfold, or shout for help, he was left to stew. It didn't take long for agitation to set in; a constant, nagging fear that made him sweat and tremble. It was impossible to gauge the time, but the longer he sat there, the more awake and restless he felt. His body was tingling and aware of every sensation, sensations Saxon wanted to multiply tenfold just to torment him.

Where was Jack? Normally Ianto could calm himself in any situation by picturing Jack's face and recalling his touch, but not this time. This time everything was different; he felt an overwhelming desire to tear free and plow through every obstacle standing between him and his love. It was like a hunger… but with the tight leather straps fastening him to the chair, it was a hunger he couldn't quench.

For awhile he sat there sobbing, the gag muffling his cries. He told himself he'd been in worse situations before, like in the countryside with a village full of cannibals, like in an exploding building, like in a vault with a weevil, but somehow he just wasn't convinced. His restraints were too strong and Jack was too far away. It felt hopeless and permanent.

Gradually he stopped crying, but his body refused to slacken or relax. His fear didn't dull and though exhaustion soon debilitated him, he couldn't sleep or meditate or compose himself whatsoever. His heart was racing, running a marathon he despaired would never end.

After a considerable length of time that could have easily passed for a hundred years, Ianto heard a latch clicking open. He couldn't tense any more than he already was, but he pulled uselessly at his restraints, squirming in a chair that must have been bolted to the floor, wishing he could at the very least see something. On top of everything else, the blindfold crippled him.

"I have to hand it to those slabs," Saxon's cheerful voice reverberated around the room. Ianto, powerless to escape, shrank back as the monster approached, pausing only long enough to break open a bottle of something that he poured into a glass. "Best assistants you could ever possibly ask for, slabs. They don't think, talk, or question, and they can't be reasoned with… they simply obey, they live to serve, and not even hypnotism works that brilliantly. Hypnotism can be very unreliable. Why, not just twenty minutes ago the transmitter I've been using to oppress you Earthlings was destroyed by some girl, I think her name was Gwen. Friend of yours?"

Ianto shook his head, writhing in desperation, but the leather straps held him down. Saxon chuckled, lightly setting his glass on the table. He walked the rest of the way over, slipped behind Ianto's chair, and began kneading Ianto's shoulders. Ianto flinched, whimpering as Saxon massaged him. "Like I've said before, hypnotism just isn't what it used to be. I was forced to eradicate a certain uncooperative General this morning. He refused to conform. Unfortunately for Miss Gwen, without the transmitter hypnotizing everyone I won't be able to shrug off his untimely demise and, believe me, it will cause one hell of a hullabaloo. I'll have to implicate your friend. She won't be given a trial, you know, she'll probably be executed on sight."

Ianto tried twisting away, but Saxon's fingers dug into his shoulders sharply, forcing him back. "It's a shame, really," he said, rubbing Ianto's face, stroking his cheek. "That's one less toy I have to play with, all because of hypnotism's inefficiency. But with slabs doing my bidding, oh…" He leaned down, resting his chin on Ianto's shoulder. "They never fail to disappoint. They know exactly how I want my pets treated and look how nicely they've taken care of you. I don't even need to reward them. They just do as they're instructed." He leaned around and kissed Ianto on the forehead before pushing off him.

"I'll have to send a message to Gallifrey, my home planet, requesting another ship," Saxon said, pacing thoughtfully behind his prisoner. "As it happens, my own personal craft can't be moved without extreme difficulty. No need to worry, though; I won't bore you with the gruesome details and it shouldn't take my slabs back home more than a few hours to dispatch a suitable vessel for the ride we'll be going on. I've got it all figured out, Ianto. My beloved space ships can travel through time; I can take you to the darkest corners of the universe and return to Earth before anyone realizes we've been gone. It'll be a thrill for you, a good rush. Trust me, you'll savor every second of it. The things I can hook you on… you won't be able to breathe without them and when I finally bring you back here you'll be on the ground pleading for more. You'll never want to leave my side."

Saxon pulled Ianto's chair away from the table with outward ease, but when Ianto renewed his efforts to rip free it still refused to budge. He nearly screamed in frustration as Saxon leaned down in front of him, smoothing out his shirt. "Now then," Saxon purred, caressing Ianto's arms and chest. "I'm going to have to get to know you. I'm going to have to peer inside your heart. After all, I can't just randomly pick somewhere to take you once we depart. I want to show you the things that will make the greatest impact on your life. Which places will touch you the most? Which will move you and impress you? Which places will make you scream? I need to know everything there is to know about you, Ianto, to make it all truly worth while."

Shaking, whimpering, blind, and helpless, Ianto couldn't stop Saxon from gripping the sides of his head with two powerful hands. Slowly, he felt a presence seeping into his mind as if from out of Saxon's fingers. The presence was terrible, black, and encompassing; it smothered Ianto with layers of its aggressive, sadistic desires to expose every inch of him.

Ianto bit down hard on the rag in his mouth, trying not to wail, but as the presence in his head coiled through his memories he felt his strength abandoning him. He wanted to shout, he wanted to beg Saxon to stop, but the duct tape kept him quiet. Memories of logging Owen and Tosh out of the Torchwood computers for the last time revealed themselves to Saxon. Memories of lying beneath tons of rubble, of Jack pulling him out, of the pain streaming from his dislocated shoulder and the faith he had in Jack to set it properly, they gave themselves up to Saxon. His faith in Jack surpassed everything else and Ianto felt Saxon blatantly scrutinizing it. He tried turning away, but Saxon held his head tightly in place, still exploring.

Hours ago, after realizing he was in a parallel world, Ianto had gone to see Lisa. He loved her so much and after the Battle of Canary Wharf, he lost himself trying to save her. He wanted to make her human again, but his attempts cost people their lives and nearly destroyed Torchwood. Ianto should have been fired for it; at Torchwood One he would have been arrested and possibly executed as a traitor. Mistakes on that scale just weren't tolerated.

But Jack forgave him. When Ianto thought he was beyond forgiveness, Jack gave him a second chance. Jack showed him mercy when he didn't deserve any and it wasn't the last time, either. Ianto, Gwen, Owen, and Tosh betrayed Jack several months later when they opened the Rift and released a creature from Hell, but Jack forgave them all and that was when Ianto knew he had finally found someone he could believe in. Jack kissed him, accepted him, and suddenly all the anguish Ianto was suffering just melted away. He couldn't understand why Jack loved him back after everything he'd done, but for the rest of his life Ianto would cherish and devote himself to him. Love so strong it ached.

Saxon pushed his way in deeper, practically dissecting Ianto, poking and prodding through his memories, uncovering every detail that made him who he was. When he finally finished, when he was finally satisfied, Saxon stroked Ianto's hair and kissed him firmly on the forehead. Ianto's memories, which were all so bright and vibrant, began dimming but he still felt naked and violated. He was once again blindfolded, gagged, and strapped to a chair, stuck in the present rather than the past, but with Saxon hovering in front of him there was no improvement and he despaired.

"Now," his captor whispered, breathing Ianto in. "Since I've had a glimpse into your heart, it's only fair you should have a glimpse into mine." Nothing could have terrified Ianto more and he shook his head weeping as Saxon gripped it roughly. The man was a monster who moaned with pleasure while his presence once again smothered Ianto. But this time, instead of invading his mind, Saxon pulled him into a great and vast realm of cruelty, hostility, tyranny, and complete domination. It let in no hope, no light, no freedom, and it blocked out every thought Ianto had of Jack, Lisa, and even Tosh, even Owen. It blocked out all of Ianto's memories, trapping him in a void with just one overwhelming impression… that of complete and utter isolation with Harold Saxon, the Master, as the only companion he would ever have again, for the rest of what Saxon promised would be a heartbreakingly long and wretched life.

**ooooooo**

**A/N: **I'm purposely making this hard on Ianto because I've been emphasizing how Jack's so afraid of Saxon and I want to make that fear seem justifiable. Please review and let me know what you think. Cheers!


	16. New Horizons

**A/N: **I know I'm taking some creative license with this chapter, but Jack said in "Stolen Earth" he followed Sarah Jane's work and I really, really like the concept. Allons-y!

**ooooooo**

The Cybus Control Tower had over half a dozen underground floors most of which were basements with the prison at the very bottom. Once Jack had climbed through the hatch up onto the level above the prison, a battle had already begun waging between escapees and U.N.I.T. guards. Stun guns were being discharged from every direction while aliens made use of their biological defenses and any other weapons they managed to get their hands on, such as glass shards and a pipe something ripped off the wall.

Spotting an elevator at the far end of the basement, Jack advanced through the melee without regard for the other fugitives. He swerved around energy beams, dodged enemy fire, and shot at or punched whoever and whatever got in his way, but he did not waste time trying to assist the poor miscreants who would happily risk their lives for an hour's freedom. He knew they couldn't escape; they would never make it past the U.N.I.T. guards. This battle was already over and nothing Jack did could change that. He would only lose whatever opportunity he had to save Ianto and Rose.

The elevator doors were locked shut and no doubt required a certain degree of security clearance to gain access. However, wielding the sonic screwdriver Jack enjoyed all the security clearance he could possibly need. The doors swiftly slid open but instead of stepping inside, Jack was suddenly pushed in from behind. He stumbled forward, plowing against the back wall as his double, Captain Jack Harkness, crammed in with Gray. "Bite me, asshole!" he shouted at someone outside, firing one last blast through the closing doors with a sonic blaster he'd stolen from one of the unconscious Time Agents down in the prison below.

"What the hell are you doing?" Jack demanded as Harkness picked a floor for the elevator to take them. "I thought I told you not to follow me. I thought I told you to take one of those yahoos' wrist straps and get Gray out of the twenty-first century." The elevator began rising as Harkness glared at Jack. Between them, Gray stood a bit dazed, as if he couldn't quite keep up with the night's bizarre events.

"Look," Harkness said impatiently. "That Saxon bastard, whoever the hell he is, took my wrist strap and I'm not exchanging it with Joe's, Jude's, or Jeremiah's. Did you see how small they were? No thanks. I want mine back."

"Jack," Gray cut in slowly and steadily, like a good Time Cadet struggling to adapt to the situation as he'd been trained. Time travel could be tricky business; you weren't always able to foresee fluctuating histories and therefore had to take things in stride. "Their wrist straps are compact and state of the art. Yours is bulky and obsolete." Obviously Gray knew a thing or two about adaptation, but his comment offended Jack as much as it did his double, for their wrist straps were likely identical.

"You can do much worse than obsolete," Jack said indignantly, picturing the Doctor's rickety Tardis. He held up his own device. "This thing is perfectly dependable. Practically part of the family." Captain Harkness and Gray were both staring at him, equally perplexed. They weren't expecting his input and Gray still didn't know who he was. Jack sighed. "Seriously, though, this isn't your fight. You both need to get out while you still have the chance."

"Who are you?" Gray asked while Captain Harkness shook his head.

"I'm in this," he said simply. "I feel responsible." He clapped a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Finally took your advice and dumped John. Unsurprisingly, he didn't handle it very well and mistook Handsome over there for me. Handsome's got a boyfriend, which pissed John off, and he abducted the poor kid who's now in the hands of a lunatic." He grinned at Jack. "You know me. Can't deny myself the chance to be a dashing hero, especially when someone as pretty as Ianto needs saving."

"I still don't understand," Gray said while Jack scoffed at his double; was he really that cocky and self-important? "Are you really a shape-shifter? Why do you look so much like my brother?"

"Captain Jack Harkness," Jack grumbled. "I used to wonder what it'd be like crossing time lines and meeting myself. A friend said I was the only man I'd ever be happy with. Obviously he was kidding." The Doctor might be the brightest man in the universe, but he also had a sense of humor. The truth was two Jacks couldn't fit in one reality; there wasn't enough room. "I'm from a parallel world," Jack informed Gray, whose eyes had widened at the 'crossing time lines' remark. Even young Cadets understood the implications of such a paradox. "I have a younger brother who looks exactly like you back home and thank god he's back home where Saxon can't take advantage of him." He scowled at his double. "If you care anything about Gray, you'll take him back to the Time Agency, get yourself some rehab, family counseling, and forget you ever heard of this place. Some of us don't have that luxury."

"What the hell's that mean?" Harkness asked as the elevator jolted to a stop. The doors slid open and Jack shoved his way out before accidently giving away something else about his life. Those two… They had no idea how lucky they were and as much as Jack resented them, he felt inexplicably drawn to them. It was one of the countless perils that came with parallel worlds. He'd warned his team about this; the seduction of a different fate, different memories, millions of different possibilities… It wasn't his; he had no right to this world, to this alternate Jack's life, no matter how much he wanted it for himself. It didn't belong to him.

The elevator had brought them up to one of the higher levels of the control tower. It was a wide, square room lit by fluorescent lights, evidently Saxon had the power back on, with rows upon rows of two-tier lockers forming over twenty aisles. It reminded Jack of a few Torchwood basements back home. "This the repository of alien technology you mentioned?"

"Hasn't changed a bit," Harkness replied, nodding. No wonder that specific elevator required a key to access; it went from the underground dungeon to the repository, both of which were probably top-secret. Together, the three men crept down the aisle in front of them, staring at the lockers, imagining what they might contain. "We could really make a fortune out of this place," Harkness noted.

"I thought you said you're here to help rescue _his _boyfriend," Gray pointedly reminded him, a silent accusation underlining his disapproval. "Not so that you could steal from our allies. Damn it, Jack, you said you took my advice and left John, but you're still behaving just like him. Well, I'm not going to let you out of my sight and the moment Joe, Jude, and Jeremiah get back on their feet, they'll be able to track my wrist strap. Whether you like it or not, we're going home today!"

"Rule number one, little brother," Harkness taunted, turning abruptly and grabbing Gray's arm. He peeled off the Cadet's wrist strap with hardly any effort despite his brother's opposition. "Never give away your plans. Especially not to me." He was about to smash the device, but Jack doubled back and irately snatched it away, thrusting it at its owner.

"Let's not damage anything that can teleport us out of here," Jack suggested sternly. He was starting to see the drawbacks of this world. Whether or not Gray was safe and sound, he and his brother still bickered, but then again that was just plain old sibling rivalry. It didn't compare with what Jack had been through. He wished there was some way he could help them reconcile, but knew he wouldn't be able to bear mediating between them. "We've got an entire treasure chamber of alien technology right here at our disposal, but not much time to sift through it. Is there a catalog of some sort to point us in the right direction? We've got to find something useful."

"Yeah, it's right here," Harkness assured him, pausing next to locker three hundred and forty seven, one of the compartments on the upper tier. He tapped on the steel door, winking at his cohorts. "There's a database inside, unless they've moved it since my last 'visit,' which is all too likely given proper security protocol, but you know how lazy people can get especially when they're overconfident in their heightened security measures. Anyway, the system is supposed to blend in with the rest of the room. Makes it harder for thieves to find what they're looking for." He chuckled. "Unless you're me."

"And you're proud of that, are you?" Gray demanded while Jack used the sonic screwdriver to open the locker, renewing Harkness' interest in the device. Both brothers stared at it appreciatively but Jack blatantly ignored their questions about it. The database was a black computer jammed inside the locker, its catalog easy to navigate. The repository, Jack discovered, was filled to the brim with alien technology, most of which couldn't fit inside small lockers. The machines were just too large, unless of course Saxon was teaching U.N.I.T. the basics of transdimensional engineering, granting the lockers a much greater magnitude on the inside, not unlike a Tardis. It certainly made sense.

"Why aren't there any weapons? Guns? Personal shields? That sort of thing?" Gray asked, pushing around his brother to get a better look at the inventory Jack was scrolling through.

"This is a repository for technological equipment," Harkness explained. "When U.N.I.T. uncovers alien weaponry, they send it straight to the armories, not here. These lockers house extrapolators, terraforming machines, transmats, ores, minerals, perfumes, and the really good stuff their scientists can't make heads or tails of." He leaned in closer. "Any sign of stably bonded, deadlock sealable bangles? Suzie said she had some and I'd like to destroy them before John tries handcuffing us together permanently."

Jack pushed him back and shut down the database, having found what he needed. "Locker seventy-two. It's got an Arcateenian Pendant." Over a year ago, Tosh had encountered a Butterfly alien named Mary who looked more like a squid than a butterfly and who had given her a telepathy pendant allowing her to read minds. It devastated Toshiko, nearly ruining her faith in mankind, but what could you expect from a tainted pendant whose crooked owner had grown insane after almost two hundred years of isolation? Jack had done some research and knew from an extremely reliable source that the Butterfly People of Arcateen V were mostly benevolent star poets. More importantly, their pendants, when not disabled to cripple criminals like Mary, were capable of so much more than just mind reading.

Sprinting down the aisle with Harkness and Gray on his heels, Jack searched for the locker. Three hundred and forty seven was a far cry from seventy-two, but after five minutes he spied it on the bottom tier. Breaking in with the sonic screwdriver, he uncovered the small emerald pendant coated in silver that hung on a delicate gold chain. "Well, it's not really my style, but it'll have to do."

Clasping it around his neck, Jack closed his eyes and drowned out the thoughts of Harkness and Gray. He had never used an Arcateenian Pendant before, but he remembered how Tosh described it and his instincts rarely failed him. There were voices everywhere, in the control tower, in the city, all around the world and across the stars. Jack could hear them, a swelling cacophony that chimed like thousands of church bells.

"What is that?" Harkness asked as Jack sat on the floor, leaning his back against a locker. He was sweating, panting, shocked by the scope of the pendant. Tosh said the first time she put hers on, she experienced something close to a seizure. The psychic powers were overwhelming, but Jack gritted his teeth, clenched his fists, and refused to let this best him. "You're a fool, you know that?" Harkness said from a distance. "You don't even know what you're doing. You're taking rash and unnecessary risks all for the sake of a twenty-first century Earthling and how the hell am I supposed to know whether it's killing you or helping you?"

"Back off!" Jack barked, allowing the streams of telepathy to carry him into a pool of living consciousnesses. There was a connection between everything and the pendant invited him to bask in it.

_The green realm of consciousness was deep, genuine, and all encompassing. Communication was achieved through feelings and dreams, emotions, passions, the very essence of life. It was infinite and unified, harmonious. Jack did not belong there. He was too peculiar, too distinctive to fit into a collective consciousness. He was a fact, a fixed point, unable to change, unable to share in an intimacy on this level. He couldn't become one with the living universe when he was trapped outside of time._

_But with that separation came a certain amount of freedom. Jack looked around and found himself gazing at emerald streams of existence; when he focused on them, they took shape and formed images he could recognize. People he knew. Ianto. If he concentrated hard enough, he could find Ianto. He could reassure him and promise to save him. He could ask him where he was and come up with a way to get there. He could make everything right again if he could just contact Ianto. Where was he?_

_"Ianto!" Jack shouted, swirling through a green sea of sparkling mist. He listened anxiously for Welsh voices, but there were so many and it would take too long for him to learn how to distinguish between them. He was too new at this. Come to think of it, he'd never even been good at psychic paper and this went miles beyond psychic paper. How was he supposed to control it?_

_"Jack…"_

_Two voices that each belonged to one girl echoed behind him. Jack spun around and through the emerald mist caught sight of Rose Tyler. She was bathed in golden light, an outcast from the collective consciousness just like Jack himself. She was beautiful, graceful, and radiant, more so than he'd ever seen her before. "Rose!" He swam towards her, the pendant offering him a glimpse into her mind and he jumped at the opportunity. Maybe she could help him…_

_There was a wolf… a large, extraordinary white wolf that snarled at Jack viciously, baring its fangs as it pounced._

_Jack fell back in surprise. He quickly fled Rose's mind and the wolf vanished, along with Rose herself. There was no longer any trace of them. "Rose! ROSE! Where are you?" When she neglected to reappear, his only consolation was that the Bad Wolf emerged after the Time War and long before the Master's return. Saxon couldn't be responsible for it. Something else was going on here, something he was missing._

_Hovering in place, Jack stretched out with his mind, desperately seeking his two loved ones. Ianto and Rose. If he couldn't find them here…_

_A cloud was billowing above him. Looking up, Jack perceived dark murky green vapor that disgusted him. Next to Rose's wolf, which was dignified and majestic despite its wild and untamable nature, this was an abomination and as Jack stared up at it, it shaped itself into an entity he recognized all too easily. Harold Saxon. He wore a white shirt with a black vest, the same clothes he'd worn as Professor Yana. He was standing behind someone, holding him in his arms. Jack concentrated and to his horror the green mist revealed Ianto._

_Jack couldn't breathe. Ianto seemed to be sinking into Saxon. His head lolled when Saxon caressed it and though his eyes were open, they weren't focused. He was whimpering and Saxon was elated. Jack could feel his elation. He could hear Saxon murmuring in Ianto's ear. "Hear the drumming. Drumming. Drumming. Drumming."_

_"NO!" Jack screamed, an inexplicable wave of panic madly attacking him. Ianto was out of reach, surrounded by the Time Lord's essence. Jack couldn't possibly contact him without first steering his way through Saxon. It would be impossible. As bad as immortality was, Jack knew it would never compare to everlasting insanity. Some lines just couldn't be crossed; some boundaries just couldn't be penetrated. Jack didn't have the strength or the will to gaze into the mind of the Master. "You bastard. Let him go."_

Jack gasped as if he'd been drowning or suffocating. Upon opening his eyes, he found himself back in the control tower, the collective consciousness and the green realm having both disappeared. Captain Harkness was sitting next to him, supporting him in concern while Gray flung the pendant back into the locker, slamming the door shut. Clearly he had pulled it off Jack's neck and now glanced back guiltily. "I'm sorry. It was hurting you."

Jack almost corrected him; he had been scared, but not in any pain. From what he could tell, Ianto was more than Saxon's prisoner. His consciousness was being smothered by Saxon's consciousness, a thought that didn't bode well at all. Like the Butterfly People Saxon had telepathic abilities, but he could tap into them without a pendant and somehow Jack knew he wasn't using them on Ianto to manipulate or share star poetry. "Damn it."

"You gonna share with the rest of the class what the hell is going on?" Harkness demanded, helping Jack to his feet. "What's an Arcateenian Pendant and what just happened? Do you know where Ianto is?" Jack easily ignored him; when you could tune out a person's thoughts, tuning out his voice was relatively simple. He focused on his wrist strap, once again using it to scan the building for life signs. He had pinpointed Saxon's location before leaving the dungeon downstairs, but he had never intended to confront the Time Lord. At least not yet. He thought it was a good idea to keep track of Saxon's movements and make every effort to avoid him, but if Saxon was psychically overpowering Ianto, they must have been in close proximity to one another. If Jack could find Saxon, he would find Ianto.

"Two hearts… Two hearts…. There!" Saxon was on the two hundred and thirteenth floor with a single human at his side. Jack didn't bother explaining things to Harkness or Gray; he broke for the elevator as rapidly as possible. Whatever reluctance he felt to face the Master, it paled next to his desperation to protect Ianto. And by god if Saxon had broken him, Jack would murder the son of a bitch.

**ooooooo**

They were traveling again. Rhys, Martha, Mickey, Jake, Pete, and Toshiko were all together in the Doctor's Tardis standing around the hexagonal console that drove them through space. The time rotor was pumping again; there was a cyclical, rasping sound; the turbulence threatened to knock everyone off their feet; and through the green shadows they could see each other laughing and screaming.

Rhys wailed, thrusting a lever up and down as Toshiko had instructed him. They were all given various tasks, which was why Pete had finally been untied; they needed six people to pilot the ship and Pete had promised to cooperate. Rhys suspected he meant to make up for his mistakes; he would happily fly around the galaxy for Rose's sake. Toshiko was practically crying in delight while Martha flipped dozens of switches and pressed countless buttons, all the while staring at a monitor and shouting encouragement. "That's it! We're going to make it! Come on, you beautiful old girl! Show the world what you can do! For the Doctor!"

"Please tell me you're not talking to the bloody ship!" Rhys shouted. Martha grinned and Rhys knew they were all losing their bloody minds. He pictured Gwen, wondering what she would say if she knew what he was doing. He tried imagining her expression. Would she believe him when he told her? _If _he told her? A part of him still feared he would never see her again while another denied any of this was even possible. He couldn't be traveling to another planet. It had to be a hoax. Right? Just a wild laugh?

"So where are we going?" Pete asked as a particularly violent convulsion tested their strength and balance. Rhys nearly slammed his head on the console and Toshiko almost flew backwards, but the others held on seamlessly. Martha even managed to look graceful, like an equestrian.

"The Shadow Proclamation," she exclaimed, grabbing one of the console's many protuberances. "They should know a thing or two about Gallifrey!"

_Gallifrey…_

If Rhys didn't know any better, he'd say the name 'Gallifrey' hung in the air, ricocheting around the time rotor. His heart pounded and sweat began dampening his clothing. It felt like energy was building up, augmenting at an exponential rate. It was… strangely exhilarating. He was a teenager again, having stolen his father's truck. He didn't know where he thought he was going or what he was doing, but just the rebellion, the freedom, the confidence that he could get away with anything as he sped through the night felt madly empowering.

"Hang on!" Martha screamed as the Tardis began plummeting. They were falling, dropping, like in a broken elevator. Fortunately the crash wasn't as severe as it could have been, but not even Martha was able to keep her footing. They all landed in a heap on the grilled floor, gasping and wincing as the Tardis settled down. Moments later everything was quiet.

Rhys rolled over and started laughing. He hadn't the foggiest idea what was so fucking funny, but he couldn't stop himself. It occurred to him that he wasn't on Earth anymore; he was somewhere in outer space. He was farther away from home, farther away from Gwen, farther away from everything he had ever known in his entire life, and it made him laugh until he was hoarse. This was a parallel universe; he wasn't even in the right reality!

"Come on, mate," Pete said, crawling over to Rhys and helping him stand. Martha and Mickey were already upright, scrutinizing the monitor with wrinkled brows while Jake assisted Toshiko. None of them were any worse for wear, though if Toshiko had been slightly disoriented, no one could blame her. Rhys could barely comprehend the level of brain power it took for her to manage this kind of technology.

"No, that's not right," Mickey said, pointing at the monitor. Rhys' heart sank as he and Pete turned to stare, although the screen was angled away from them and they couldn't see anything on it. Toshiko limped over to her station while Mickey glanced at Martha. "Rose invited the Shadow Architect to Earth a long time ago, but I still remember she said the Proclamation's base was on an asteroid. I know I'm no expert, but asteroids don't have atmospheres. They can't have a sky like that." Martha nodded blankly.

"These coordinates are all wrong," Toshiko said anxiously. There was definite panic in her voice, which did absolutely nothing for Rhys' nerves. "They don't match any of the coordinates we were given, not by any of our allies. We're lost."

"I knew it," Rhys complained, pulling frantically on his hair. "I just knew this would happen." Pete and Jake glared at him before exchanging worried glances with Mickey and Toshiko. "What the hell are we going to do now? Fly back to Earth? We'll never get there. We'd just as soon land on the sun and burn to a bloody crisp!"

"Unless," Martha whispered, dawning realization creeping over his features. "But it can't be…" She raced across the Tardis, barging through the wooden doors like her life depended on it. Baffled, the others followed her with Rhys trailing miserably behind. He was hesitant to leave the relative safety of the Tardis, but then again there was also safety in numbers and they certainly weren't getting anywhere inside the ship. Besides, how many other chances would he have to see an alien planet?

The Tardis had landed on the balcony of a massive metal spire. It overlooked a beautiful, regal, futuristic citadel, the kind that belonged in one of those new _Star Wars_ films. Rhys stopped short at the sight, utterly enthralled. If Gwen could see this… Looking up, the sky was a striking orange. When Rhys spotted the two twin suns, all his doubts, all his skepticism faded into nothing. There was no way in hell this place could possibly be Earth and he didn't have the imagination to dream up something so glorious.

"The mighty glass dome," Martha whispered, grinning from ear to ear at the breathtaking view. It was hard to see, but with a little concentration Rhys was able to make out the dome encasing the city. Had they traveled into a snow globe or something? Tears suddenly streamed down Martha's cheeks. "I never thought… Oh just look at it!" She abruptly faced Mickey, who was every bit as in awe as the rest of them. "I know where we are. This is his home, Mickey. It's got to be; it's exactly how he described it. This is the Doctor's home."

**ooooooo**

**A/N: **Because the Tardis always flies exactly where you tell it, right? Please review. Cheers!


	17. Reunions

**A/N: **Okay, so WickedWitchoftheSE asked for a quick recap and I think it might be a good idea. Jack and the parallel world's alternate Jack are in the Cybus Control Tower with Gray. Ianto is in Saxon's living quarters, which is located elsewhere in the Cybus Control Tower, along with the Master. Gwen teleported herself to Cardiff. Martha, Rhys, Mickey, Jake, Pete, and Toshiko have left the laboratory in the Cybus Industries H.Q. where Rose is being held prisoner. They are on the other side of the universe thanks to the Tardis. Have I forgotten anyone? John Hart hasn't been heard from in awhile… he was left unconscious in the scrap yard where the team first found the Tardis. Jack stole his wrist strap, gave it to Gwen, and now John could be just about anywhere. And Suzie Costello is on a zeppelin headed for Cardiff… she's going after Gwen. Got it? Allons-y!

**ooooooo**

The nice thing about telepathy was how omnipotent it made the Master feel. Hypnotizing his victims just wasn't as easy as it used to be and besides he had grown bored with the technique. These days, telepathy was a much greater thrill. Hypnotism made humans compliant and docile; they barely put up a fight; they allowed themselves to be manipulated. On the other hand, telepathy was a blatant invasion, a violation that drove them to despair. The Master could easily crush their defenses and observe their most private and intimate thoughts and memories. He preferred subjugating them when they were aware of the abuse; he basked in their fear and helplessness. Some would call it rape, but this wasn't physical. It was more personal and emotional. Instead of forcing his way into their bodies, he was forcing his way into their souls.

To top it off, he could drag them into his own soul. They didn't have the power he did. They couldn't see through his defenses as he could see through theirs. They were carried into the psychic rooms of his mind that he wanted them beholding and they couldn't look away. If the Master had any weaknesses he hid them and revealed only the blackness of his heart. For so long he had been disguising himself; U.N.I.T. believed he was the Doctor while everyone else knew him as Harold Saxon. By sharing himself through telepathy, he could finally discard his pretenses and reveal himself as the Master. There was nothing more exciting or exhilarating than exposing his true identity to his victims.

Ianto was a remarkable discovery. In his short life he had proven himself capable of love, hate, fear, courage, treachery, such treachery, but also intense loyalty. He had suffered a lifetime's worth of heartache, but remained above all selfless. Even when he betrayed not just his team but his entire planet, he did so for the sake of another. For Lisa. No one could deny he was selfless and that distinguished him from so many of his species. He would be such fun to play with.

Temporarily satisfied, the Master severed the link between him and his toy. Ianto slumped forward in his seat, his chest heaving up and down. It wasn't often the Master had someone strapped tight to a chair, gagged and blindfolded, but he enjoyed the sight and considered leaving Ianto there indefinitely. No, he'd already been stuck on Earth for far too long, not to mention in the twenty-first century. Call it cabin fever; he needed to get out. He needed to travel, experience something different, something new, and Ianto gave him the perfect opportunity. The Master would just have to remember to bring along extra rope, handcuffs, and the like. While in transit, he could amuse himself by assessing different ways of tying the boy up.

Dawn was approaching and the Master thought about breakfast. He loved breakfast and rarely ate at any other time of the day. When it came to his work and life in general, meals proved rather disruptive, but breakfasts marked new beginnings and were always so promising. Of course, Ianto wouldn't be needing any food. He had been fed by the slabs, which was part of the reason why he was such a nervous wreck. His food had been contaminated with certain stimulants that would keep him agitated for several more hours. There might even be sleep deprivation. The Master savored the thought.

Leaning forward, he gripped Ianto's shoulders and kissed his forehead one last time, fervently. "Don't go anywhere," he said, patting Ianto's cheek. "I'll try not to keep you waiting too long." Laughing quietly to himself, the Master pranced out of the dining room. He still had some business to attend to before he could enjoy a decent breakfast. The night wasn't over yet and he felt compelled to contact his slabs on Gallifrey, requesting a second Tardis, and he needed to ensure that the U.N.I.T. guards managed to capture both Captain Jacks. From what he had seen in Ianto's head, Jack and Gwen weren't the only other people from the parallel world. There were two more. Rhys Williams and Martha Jones. They would also have to be apprehended. Work before play…

As the Master walked through his private quarters, a gradual and inexplicable sense of unease came over him. It was disquieting and the Master slowed his pace, frowning. Never in his long endless life had he ever felt anything remotely comparable to this incongruity. It was spine tingling and forbidden; his instincts warned him to back away. Fortunately, he never put much stock in instinct. Reason was more reliable.

Entering his study, the Master approached his private elevator. Surprisingly enough, someone was inside; the lift was rising to this floor. No one _ever _rode his elevator; not his slabs, not even Suzie. No one had the key to access it but him. Fury and indignation swept through the Master. He puffed out his chest, throwing his hands on his waist. His trepidation receded, replaced with disgust. How dare they presume to use _his _elevator?

The lift stopped on his floor; the doors slid open; and a flood of irrational panic descended heavily upon the Master. He recoiled in shock, only to trip over the tea table and crash onto the floor. Three figures stepped out of the elevator. One was a boy no older than Ianto. The others were two identical men. Captain Jack Harkness and his likeness from the parallel world. It only took the Master a second to classify the second Harkness as a freak, though it was hard determining why. He could barely stand looking at the man.

"Well, well, well," the Freak said, walking towards the Master with a gun aimed at his head. Captain Harkness and the boy approached warily from behind, but as hard as it was looking at the Freak, the Master couldn't turn his head, couldn't give the two any of his attention. Instead, he scurried away from the Freak, clambering awkwardly to his feet, humiliated by the scornful sneer on the Freak's face. "What's the matter, Saxon? You look like you've just seen your worst nightmare."

The Master shook his head, slowly catching his breath and steadying his two heartbeats. "Oh, believe me, you're anything but my worst nightmare. You're just scum, aren't you? I suppose you somehow managed to creep out of the intergalactic circus." He laughed cruelly, saving face. "I saw you die and return to life in Ianto's memories. Several times, actually. He thinks you're immortal." The Freak's expression darkened while his two partners stared at him in astonishment. "I was ready to believe you underwent some sort of fusion with nanogenes. It would certainly render the illusion of immortality. Nothing a decent extraction couldn't fix. But now…" He kept shaking his head, clucking his tongue. "Nanogenes don't quite cover this, do they?"

"What have you done with Ianto?" the Freak asked coldly, glancing down at his wrist strap, no doubt checking for life signs. The device's scanners would assuredly detect the boy, giving away his position, but the Master couldn't allow that. Ianto belonged to him now. He would have to find a way to stop the Freak and for a split second he considered physically attacking. Then again, maybe not. The Freak was holding that blasted gun too steadily for comfort and was apt to shoot him. Besides, the thought of getting too close made the Master's skin crawl. He would have to keep them talking until he could adapt to this maddening sensation. It shouldn't take too much longer and then he'd be able to think clearly.

"Ianto? I've only welcomed him into my home and shown him my hospitality," the Master said, calming his nerves with wit and irony. "I assure you, I've been very generous with him. He's pretty, though I needn't tell you that. I do confess I'm partial to the attractive, which could be a snag as far as you're concerned. You're quite possibly the ugliest abomination I've ever come across."

"Hey!" Captain Harkness objected, taking offense. The Master's gaze flickered from the Freak over to the captain, a very good sign to be sure. He was slowly recovering.

"I want you to know I intend to keep Ianto," the Master informed the Freak, noting his anger, hatred, and most importantly his fear. The Captain Jack Harkness from Ianto's world feared the Master and though he was known to be violent and unpredictable like a force of nature when put in these situations, at that moment something was holding him back, making him hesitate. Good. "You can try shooting me, but I've taken measures to protect myself, both biologically and technologically. Whatever happens, I _will_ have my way in the end. And I could have you stripped naked, locked in a coffin, and jettisoned into a black hole for all eternity. You can't get much closer to death than that, now can you?" The Freak swallowed hard, obviously worried by such a prospect. The Master gave him credit; he had been immortal long enough to appreciate the curse of everlasting life. "And then you can imagine what fun I'll be having with your precious Ianto."

The Freak charged forward so quickly that the Master's two hearts leapt into his throat. A fist flew toward his face and the next thing the Master knew, everything went dark.

**ooooooo**

"You know," Jack said coldly, staring down at Saxon's unconscious body as the other Captain Harkness and Gray advanced warily from behind. "I never thought I'd be grateful for a little bigotry. Maybe it really is a biological Time Lord reaction." In any case, it almost made him feel better about the Doctor's rejection. Back home, Professor Yana had the advantage of witnessing Jack resurrect himself before reverting into the Master. And then, after he flew back to the twenty-first century, he had months to consider Jack's immortality before facing it; he had months to prepare. But here in this world it seemed Saxon was caught off guard and thank god for small favors.

"You didn't kill him," Gray astutely observed as Jack rummaged through his pockets for a pair of handcuffs. Like Ianto and stopwatches, he always had at least one at the ready and without acknowledging the Cadet he set about binding Saxon's wrists. As much as he hated to admit it, he might need the Time Lord alive and what was he supposed to do? Kill the bastard over and over again until he stopped regenerating? Jack didn't know how many regenerations Time Lords could manage, some legends said they were infinite, and he doubted the process would go unnoticed by the rest of the building's occupants for very long. He couldn't afford to be drawing attention to himself.

The other Captain Harkness suddenly grabbed Jack's arm and forced him around. "Hey, what the hell was he talking about? I've never actually had the pleasure of dying before, but I certainly don't feel immortal and when I last saw Saxon on that zeppelin he didn't mention immortality. I'm not some kind of freak, am I?" Some kind of freak… That was a nice way of putting it.

"No," Jack spat, shoving his double away. "You and I might be counterparts from different realities, but like I've said before, you're not me. You can die. I can't. Be thankful." It wasn't a suggestion people normally expected to hear; most humans longed for immortality, fearing death above everything else. But all it took was a simple threat like Saxon's to jettison him into a black hole for Jack to remember how many 'worse things than death' happened to exist in the universe. He still remembered what it felt like when Gray buried him alive; the cycle of suffocation and resurrection combined with the absence of living described hell itself.

They were standing in what resembled an old school study with dark walls, a tea table, a roll-top desk, shelves of books, a fireplace, and even a cello situated in the corner. The elevator was the only modern aspect to the room; to Jack it looked like it belonged in the nineteenth, early twentieth century. But then a handful of leather clad figures barged through the wooden doors, wielding sonic blasters that they began shooting without warning, devastating the study's classical ambiance.

"Damn!" Jack ducked for cover as energy beams discharged around the room. There were at least four assailants decked in black leather with black helmets covering their heads. Since their visors were just as dark, it would have been impossible identifying them had Jack not recognized them from a description Martha gave when narrating her first encounter with the Doctor. They were slabs, basic slave drones, and unfortunately hard to kill.

The other Captain Harkness and Gray immediately began firing back, but their weapons had a minimal effect. What they really needed were extremely advanced energy guns or, according to Martha, intense levels of radiation. Yeah right. Maybe they'd stand a chance if they had Daleks or Cybermen on their side. They weren't exactly at Chernobyl.

Fed up, Jack aimed his own sonic blaster at the nearest wall, gave it a quick adjustment, and fired. Square blue beams pulsated from the barrel, cutting a perfectly square shaped hole in the wall. Rose had once labeled the weapon a squareness gun and Jack grunted at the memory, scrambling swiftly through the hole. Turning back around, he switched the weapon onto digital rewind and fired again, watching as the wall reconstructed itself. He was safe from the slabs for the moment, but it wouldn't take them long to track him and he needed to find Ianto.

Hoping his double could protect Gray and ward off the slabs, Jack glanced down at his wrist strap. The scanner depicted the schematics of the entire floor; there were two other life signs in the room with the Time Lord and one life sign in the adjacent chamber which belonged to Jack himself. The slabs didn't have life signs, so the final heartbeat must have been Ianto's. It was three rooms away.

Bracing himself, Jack crept towards the door and poked his head out into a corridor. Several slabs were crowding their way into the study, but that meant their backs were turned and if Jack was quiet they might not notice him. Slipping out into the hall, he tiptoed in the other direction, passing by two parlors before reaching the locked double doors that separated Jack from Ianto. They were so close and Jack felt his anticipation blending with dread. He half expected something to go wrong, something to yank him away from his love the way he'd been yanked away from Rose.

Instead of wasting time with the sonic screwdriver, Jack once again brandished the sonic blaster. He shot his way through the double doors, stepped into a massive dining room, and spun on his heel. The blast had alerted several of the slabs to his presence; they glanced back and instantly started after him. Without a second to spare, Jack utilized the blaster's digital rewind and rebuilt the double doors.

As the slabs began pounding on the feeble wooden barriers, Jack knew he was running out of time. He turned frantically and spotted Ianto at the far end of the dining room table. He was strapped down to a chair, gagged, blindfolded, and shaking so hard he could have been a rattle. He didn't know who was in the room with him or why it sounded like a war zone, but the possibilities obviously weren't reassuring him.

"Oh god, Ianto…" Jack felt like his entire body was clenching painfully. He was well acquainted with the treatment Saxon gave his prisoners and the thought of what he'd done to Ianto made his heart ache. This was precisely what he'd wanted to avoid! Dashing to the head of the table, Jack hastily ripped off the straps fastening Ianto's wrists to the arms of the chair. He bent down to undo the straps around Ianto's ankles while Ianto pulled off the blindfold and the gag. Then, all of a sudden, they were in each other's arms kissing passionately.

"Jack," Ianto whispered when they pulled away. Outside the dining room, the slabs could still be heard pounding on the doors while in the distance guns were still being fired. Despite that, Jack found he couldn't look away from Ianto's eyes. They were filled with tears and despair, an expression recognizable from the night Owen and Tosh died, not to mention the night Lisa died. "I lost you, Jack. I thought I was going to be with _him _for the rest of my life and I couldn't even picture you. He wouldn't let me. He blocked everything out. I felt so lost."

"I'm here now," Jack promised him, caressing his face with both hands. "You're going to be okay, Ianto. I'm not going to let anything happen to you." Ianto was sobbing now, but he nodded, his faith in Jack absolute. Breathing deeply Jack pulled him close, wrapping his arms back around him, glancing at the double doors as the slabs finally broke in. But before Saxon's leather minions could so much as aim their weapons, Jack expertly activated the teleport on his wrist strap. The Vortex opened with a swirl of colors and together Jack and Ianto were carried through.

**ooooooo**

When the Master awoke, he was lying on a sofa in one of his parlors. Five slabs stood in a line along the far wall, vigilant sentinels who were programmed to attack if ever the Master fell unconscious after experiencing increased levels of stress rather than relaxation. Getting knocked out by a certifiable freak obviously qualified.

Rubbing his head, the Master sat up and discovered two men lying prone on the floor, utterly limp and possibly dead, though he seriously doubted it since their wrists were cuffed behind their backs. It didn't take him long to identify them as the Captain Jack Harkness who belonged in this world and… his younger brother. Gray. Ianto had memories of the boy, unpleasant memories at that. Of the Freak, there was no sign. Had he managed to escape?

A moment's alarm swept through the Master. The Freak would not have escaped without first securing what he had come to retrieve and it didn't take a genius to guess what that was. Jumping to his feet, the Master raced out of the parlor and towards the dining room. The doors, which should have been locked, were hanging off their hinges. Kicking them aside, the Master's alarm rocketed to pure unbridled fury. Ianto was gone; he had been stolen away, no doubt by the Freak himself.

Ever since conquering Gallifrey, the Master had felt entitled to certain rights, the most important of which was that he could possess whatever he wanted and there was nothing anyone could do about it. For someone to steal from him, for someone to deny him his pleasures… it was the greatest crime imaginable. "You're a fool, Captain Jack Harkness. Your actions are only making me crave the boy more than I've ever craved a human. Now things are going to get very difficult, especially for pretty little Ianto."

Returning to the parlor, the Master ordered his slabs to escort the two prisoners down to the vaults. By now the U.N.I.T. guards should have the jail break under control and two more captives shouldn't be much trouble to them. Meanwhile, the Master would go in search of the Time Agent wrist strap he had confiscated from his reality's Captain Jack. With a bit of tweaking, he could design it to pinpoint the location of the parallel Captain Jack's wrist strap. He would hunt down the Freak, kill him several times over, and then dump him somewhere horrific. A black hole was too good for him. And the best part about it was that he would make Ianto watch.

**ooooooo**

They had teleported into a desolate, forsaken corridor that was lit only by a distant 'Exit' sign. Temporarily safe, they slid to the floor and Jack, leaning his back against the corridor wall, cradled Ianto in his arms. He didn't know how much time passed, but he allowed Ianto this respite, knowing how much he desperately needed it. Damn Saxon for subjecting them to this. Jack wasn't sure if he could handle anymore blatant cruelty. How could there be so much evil in the universe? Hadn't they been through enough? Hadn't Ianto been through enough? And where the hell was the Doctor? Jack had never felt more in need of him.

"He knows everything about me," Ianto whimpered, trembling fiercely, clinging to Jack in fear. Nothing Jack did seemed capable of soothing him, which was alarming in itself. At the very least, fatigue should have worn Ianto out by now, but he remained very much awake and unsettled. "He was inside my head. He showed me images of horrible things, Jack, monsters and pits and twisted, perverse machinery he said he's going to hook me up to. He said the planet New Earth in the year five billion and fifty-three has pharmacies that sell moods and emotions. He wants me addicted to despair."

Jack bristled, holding Ianto tighter. "That won't happen." He was beginning to regret his decision not to kill the Master over and over again until the Time Lord finally stopped regenerating. He was growing thirsty for the Time Lord's blood.

A ribbon of golden light shimmered through a crack in the doorway several meters down the corridor. Jack stared at it, watching it evaporate. He found it compelling and an unexpected compulsion to investigate quelled his fury. Kissing Ianto's forehead, Jack gently urged him to his feet, gripping his hand. "We need to keep moving. No time to rest." And as Jack carefully guided Ianto towards the mysterious doorway, it occurred to him that he had never finished repairing the teleportation device on his wrist strap. The feature had activated on its own accord earlier that night, an incident Jack still couldn't explain. While in Saxon's dining room, he had acted without thinking, almost against his will… well, perhaps not _against_ his will, but certainly without regard for it. Fortunately, the wrist strap hadn't let him down. Somehow, it had brought him here, wherever the hell 'here' happened to be.

Pushing open the door, Jack perceived a large, shadowy chamber that was glowing dimly on the far side. Squeezing Ianto's hand and offering him as encouraging a nod as he could muster, Jack cautiously crossed over the threshold. He found himself standing in an extensive laboratory that would not have been any different from any other laboratory were it not for the singular display across from him.

Saxon's desire to hook Ianto up to perverse machinery rapidly grew more feasible and terrifying, for pinned up off the ground in a metallic web was a beautiful, pure, and impeccable young woman, her body impaled sadistically at every possible angle by thin, unforgiving rods. She was bathed in golden light like a star and if Jack listened carefully, he could literally hear music chiming around her. She was dazzling, but also in perceivable agony. Silent tears slid down her face and though she was held perfectly still, physical pain was palpable throughout the room.

"Rose," Jack gasped as Ianto's hand slipped free. He crumbled to the ground vomiting and Jack could do nothing to assist him. He was frozen, too shocked, too sickened, and simply too petrified to act in any way.

**ooooooo**

**A/N: **I really hope this chapter is satisfying. I enjoyed writing it and could really use some reviews right about now. Cheers!


	18. Bad Wolf

**A/N: **Wow, thanks so much for the ample reviews! Allons-y!

**ooooooo**

"It was you," Jack whispered, slowly gathering his wits as he gazed up at Rose. He hadn't seen her in over a hundred years, at least not the girl who knew him and could coincide with him without risking the timeline. He secretly visited her in London back in the nineties, watching her grow up but only from a distance because whether or not it jeopardized space and time he missed her terribly. For so long he had wanted to see her everyday and not just because she was close to the Doctor. Since leaving the Time Agency Rose had been the first person to trust him with all her heart; it was her faith that made her so endearing. She wasn't naïve, but she still believed in people.

Incapable of taking his eyes off the golden captive, Jack knelt down next to Ianto. The two tenderly wrapped their arms around each other and Jack hefted Ianto off the floor, supporting his weight. Already weak and traumatized, Ianto could have done without seeing Rose in this condition, but Jack wasn't going to leave him out in the hall. Instead, he helped him over to one of the laboratory tables and sat him on a stool, urging him to rest his face in his arms, but Ianto shook his head. He was too agitated to even consider relaxation.

_"She's calling to you, begging you for help. She said it's the Blitz all over again. She wants you to catch her, Jack, but you won't. The Master knows you're coming and he will kill you first."_

Pete Tyler's words from their fruitless interrogation in the Tardis hours ago suddenly returned to Jack. At the time they hadn't made any sense at all, but now… everything was coming together like a puzzle falling into place. Rose was losing herself to this evil contraption, this metallic web, but she was holding on with everything she had, just like in 1941 when Jack rescued her from a loose barrage balloon. Who would have thought she could ever get into worse trouble?

"All this time you've been calling to me. Somehow you brought me to this world, you bombarded me with the Moonlight Serenade, which convinced me to look for you at Big Ben where I just so happened to run into Mickey. And I'm willing to bet you had a hand in Mickey discovering the Tardis. Not too long ago you tried teleporting me to the Cybus Industries H.Q., which is where we are right now, isn't it? And then you tried contacting me when I was wearing the Arcateenian Pendant. You might be caught in this web, Rose, but you orchestrated everything, didn't you? Absolutely all of this was your doing." Jack almost laughed at Rose's perseverance. She never gave up; she never stopped fighting; even when she was seemingly defeated. The Doctor had taught her how to fight; how to live. He had taught her well.

"I am the Bad Wolf," Rose said, speaking with a dual voice as if the girl and the creature were both talking at the same time. Her words haunted Jack and caused Ianto to shiver. The Bad Wolf… not unlike the Oncoming Storm. Frightening, but also rousing. Jack remembered the white wolf he had seen in Rose's mind while wearing the telepathy pendant. Kissing Ianto, Jack left him leaning over the laboratory table and made his way toward the vile web.

"You are the Bad Wolf," he said, slowly grasping the rest of the situation. "The Bad Wolf. Those two words stalked you and the Doctor up until Satellite Five. The Doctor told me after he sent you home, you opened the heart of the Tardis and absorbed the Time Vortex to find your way back to him. If you're the Bad Wolf, then you're the one who scattered those words throughout space and time, a feat you could have only accomplished with the power given to you by the Time Vortex. So if you're the Bad Wolf again, then you've got the Time Vortex in your head again, which explains how you were able to manipulate everything to bring me here right now."

"The Hadron Web cripples me," Rose said, neither confirming nor refuting Jack's assessment. "I see everything. In this world and all others. Time is in a constant flux and I see it changing. Life and death. Truth and deception. Memories that are false and forgotten." It had to be the Time Vortex; it was the only reason Rose would say such things. "I would save you. All of creation. But you flinch, because of the price. And I can't. The pressure's too great and I would destroy everything. The Hadron Web debilitates me, paralyzes me, but it will soon deteriorate and I will erupt. Volcano day."

Jack eyed the metallic Hadron Web. According to the Doctor, Rose had the power of a goddess running through her head, but most of it was inhibited. She was left with enough power to arrange a rescue, but she certainly couldn't wipe out an army of Daleks like she had on Satellite Five. She was too weak. Somehow the Master had found out about her and thought it amusing to subject her to the Time Vortex once more. He gave her infinite power and then held her prisoner. The bastard.

"You need me to free you from the Hadron Web and extract the Time Vortex from your head," Jack said quietly. "The Doctor's not here to save the day and no one else can survive all that power. I'm the only one who can do it, aren't I?"

"Jack?" Ianto had pushed off the stool and was edging his way forward past rows of lab tables, leaning against their cold surfaces for support. He couldn't possibly have understood any of this, but he wasn't blind. Rose was asking Jack to take her place, she was asking him to sacrifice himself, knowing that he could endure it. But what if something went wrong? Ianto wouldn't want to risk it; it was too dangerous and his fear made Jack hesitate. If the Time Vortex killed him, how long would it take his resurrection? Saxon was looking for them and who would protect Ianto and Rose if he was still dead? Jack glanced from one to the other, completely torn. Rescue Rose? Shelter Ianto? Damn it, where was the Doctor? And for that matter, where was Gwen? He had told her to investigate the Cybus Industries H.Q. after she left the Cybus Control Tower. Why wasn't she here yet?

"Jack, please," Rose pleaded, her two voices trembling. Two voices… like two hearts… She wasn't even human anymore. Jack glanced at her, feeling the tears well up in his eyes. She was fighting so hard, how could forsake her? "You waited over a hundred years for the Doctor knowing one day you would find him," she said. "For so long I believed I'd lost him forever. Now with the wave of my hand I could shred apart two different universes to see him again, just for one fraction of a second before everything crumbles into dust. I almost did it once, but I restrained myself, reaching through the Rift, the weakest point in time and space, to bring you here instead. If I'm given another chance, I won't be able to stop. Jack, you have to stop me. For the sake of all creation."

Jack looked back at Ianto, but Ianto's eyes were fixed on Rose. His tears were fresh and heartbreaking. "The Master did this to her." Ianto covered his mouth, holding back a sob before meeting Jack's gaze with such compassion, empathy, and anguish that Jack wondered if he couldn't literally feel Rose's misery himself. "Can't you do something, Jack? Can't you help her?"

"Ianto," Jack whispered, but Ianto shook his head desperately.

"He made me see things, Jack! He showed me what hell looks like and then promised to take me there. Like he's taken her. He's done to her what he wants to do to me and I can't bear it." Ianto had already been through hell. The Battle of Canary Wharf. Lisa. The alleged 'end of days' when the rift opened. Owen and Tosh… Hell existed. It was centered around Torchwood. Even Rose could blame the damn institute for ruining her life. Ianto and Rose… They had more in common than they realized.

"You'll have to stand back," Jack told Ianto, who immediately scurried away, but without turning around. He kept his gaze locked on Jack who had never wanted to hold him more than at that precise moment. His love for Ianto was without bounds. Why did people always wait to tell their loved ones how they really felt until it was too late? "Ianto, listen to me," Jack said quickly and Ianto nodded, hanging onto every word. "There are good days. Every once in awhile, even when we don't expect it, there are days when no one dies, when everybody lives, when everything turns out exactly the way we hope. Better than we hope. Like the day I met Rose and the Doctor. And I'm going to make sure you get one of those days too, because no one deserves a good day more than you. I love you."

Jack didn't hang around to witness Ianto's response. He spun on his heel, running towards the Hadron Web. When he reached the first rod, he ducked around it and was instantly greeted with a burst of energy that would have vaporized any other man. But his body withstood the trauma as it did at the end of the universe when he helped launch a spaceship from a room flooded with radiation. It was a bit warm, but nothing he hadn't felt before.

Crisscrossing his way through the mesh of rods, Jack eventually reached Rose, but since she was pinned up off the ground he had to start climbing. The rods burned his hands, but Jack ignored the pain. It was like scaling the warped steel branches of a dead tree. He hauled himself up until he was perched in front of Rose. "You're going to have to guide me through this. I don't know what to do."

Her eyes swirled with golden light, but for a moment that light faded and Jack was looking at Rose herself. Not the Bad Wolf, but Rose Tyler. Her face twisted in agony. "You came for me."

Jack nodded. "And I'm here to catch you, but you've got to tell me how."

The golden light revived itself; two small stars shining brightly in Rose's eyes. But then as Jack pored into them, they flowed out like two sunbeams gently extending toward his head. He felt them reaching through the windows to his soul. The music echoing in the air underwent a sudden crescendo and Jack could hear countless voices singing. His world expanded and glittered; there was so much glitter. No. It wasn't glitter. He was noticing every single atom of time and space. And yet he was still apart from it.

The universe was young. Earth was only in the twenty-first century but its legacy would last for well beyond five billion more years. And Jack would live through all of them. He would literally watch the universe growing old. He would outlive Torchwood, outlive his own children, outlive the stars and entire galaxies. He would age into the wisest individual known to innumerable species and sing ancient songs to those human enough to listen. He would grow unrecognizable, shrouded with mysteries. Enigmatic. But Jack would also carry a secret… when everyone he ever loved faded into memory and he became the last of his kind, whoever and whatever his kind was, when he suffered millenniums of loneliness and sorrow, he would at the last reveal the greatest truth eternity could offer. And he would reveal it to the Doctor.

Jack could feel the Time Vortex suffocating him, but he managed to contain it. As the final drops drained out of Rose, Jack waved his hand and every atom, every particle making up the Hadron Web separated. The contraption dissolved. Jack caught Rose in his arms as they fell to the ground and he gently placed her on the floor. Standing up, he then faced the old grandfather clock disguising the Master's Tardis. He had to kill the heart of the Tardis. He had to prevent the Master from ever again exposing humans to the Time Vortex. As with Rose, Jack drained the ship, depleting it, eradicating it. Before long, the Tardis became nothing more than the clock it resembled.

The power was unfathomable. Enough to turn benevolent Time Lords into a vengeful gods. It was at once painful and captivating, too captivating to let go. Rose was human; the Bad Wolf was human. Instead of turning her into a vengeful god, it turned her into a queen who believed she could save the universe. There was so much death; everything was gradually decaying and Rose hadn't been prepared for it. In the face of such death, she thought she could bring life. That's why Jack was immortal… because Rose, a human child who had stumbled upon such power, couldn't cope with the devastation. She wanted to fix what was a natural part of life; she wanted to fix what wasn't broken and in the process she made Jack unique and simply wrong. He was a human mistake, a human error, but it was also the result of good intentions. Humans like Rose were capable of the best intentions, which was why Rose could ultimately relinquish such power when a Time Lord would let it corrupt him.

Jack felt a moment of sheer, overwhelming terror as he gazed into the future. He had already known he could never die, but now as he confronted the full magnitude of time and space, he trembled at the expanse. Such a long and grueling journey with no sure destination. He could see the faces of those he might or might not meet, friends he might or might not love, enemies he might or might not overcome. His own brother would either forgive him or wither away into bitterness before fading from memory.

The people Jack cherished… they were all so tiny. Ianto, Rose, Gwen, and Martha… Owen, Tosh, Suzie, John, and even Rhys… Gray… next to the universe and everything it was, is, and could possibly become, they were tiny and one day Jack would forget them. He would lose everything and the isolation would torment him. Jack couldn't endure. He would rather die here and now than forget his dearest friends, his truest family.

_There it is…_ He could spare himself the agony. He could undo Rose's mistake. He could make himself mortal again. If he did, he would surely die. The Time Vortex would burn him alive and he would be unable to resurrect himself. But death was preferable… Jack did not want to suffer through the endless ages on his own. Even Time Lords could die. One day the Doctor himself would lie down to rest and then what? Who would Jack have on that day? It wasn't fair and so if Rose could bring him life, he should bring himself death. This was the only chance he would ever have.

_"The way he looks at me sometimes… as if he's scared of what he feels for me…"_

_"Knowing there has to be more to life than this. Knowing I'm special. Waiting for someone to see it."_

_"You save one life, a hundred lives, but it's never enough. Who'll save me?"_

Jack was suddenly gazing into the past. Was it a fluctuation? No… He just couldn't remember it… He had taken retcon, they had all taken retcon, to obliterate Adam, the alien who fed off memories, the alien who implanted false memories to manipulate them. Gwen… Toshiko… Owen… when they were so terribly vulnerable. And then Ianto…

_"I killed three girls… I'm a monster…"_

Jack could see an alleyway. It was raining and Ianto was sobbing, alone with the body of a woman he had just strangled. But the image wasn't real; it was only a hallucination. Ianto was in the hub; Adam was tormenting him, utterly exhilarated.

_"You know, I forgot what a rush it is, feeding in the bad stuff."_

The Torchwood team had lost two days of their lives, but Jack could see those days clearly now. Adam had tried sneaking his way into the happiest memories Jack had of his childhood, memories that Adam exposed. Playing on the beach with his father… and with Gray… That life was gone now and one day very soon the life Jack presently enjoyed would vanish as well. Torchwood, like Jack's father, will disappear from Jack's mind. He wouldn't be able to help it. Unless…

_"I have seen so much. Perhaps too much… But know this, Time Lord."_

The Fall of Arcadia. The Dalek Emperor taking control of the Cruciform. The Gates of Elysiem. Davros, the creator of the Daleks, flying into the jaws of the Nightmare Child. The last great Time War. And at the heart of it all was the Doctor, Jack's Doctor, ending it. The killer of his own kind. Two almighty civilizations burning to the ground. Everything screaming.

The curse of the Time Lords… on top of everything he had already lost.

_"Some people live more in twenty years than others do in eighty. It's not the time that matters; it's the person."_

The Doctor's infinite wisdom. The Doctor never stopped running. He ran from Gallifrey, the Shining World of the Seven Systems, the Citadel standing on the Continent of Wild Endeavor in the Mountains of Solace and Solitude, because like all Time Lords he had peered through a gap in the fabric of reality where he glimpsed the entire Vortex, just like Jack was now. The Doctor ran away and proceeded to do what so many creatures refused to do. He lived. He didn't just exist, he actually _lived_. And as lonely as he was, he never stopped running and he never stopped living.

_"You are not alone."_

**ooooooo**

The golden light encompassing Jack began decanting out of him. It drifted upwards to the ceiling where it dispersed and completely evaporated. Jack fell into a heap on the ground next to Rose and though he had told Ianto to stand back, Ianto scrambled to his side. He still felt nauseas and weak in the knees, but witnessing Rose transfer all that power into Jack, witnessing Jack disintegrate the Hadron Web, and then witnessing him collapse, Ianto summoned every ounce of strength he had to reach his captain, the man he loved.

Jack was dead. The Time Vortex or whatever that golden light was… it had killed him. Trying not to panic, Ianto eased Jack's upper body onto his lap, cradling his head. "You can't die," he whispered, tears blurring his vision. He loved Jack so much… He knew Jack was immortal, but something felt different. It might have been the remnants of the Time Vortex or… there was always the possibility that Jack would use up his metaphorical nine lives. Every time he died, Ianto always feared he might not survive.

Rose was stirring. She moaned, running a hand lightly across her forehead. Ianto glanced at her, half expecting her eyes to flutter open, but then she sighed and seemingly passed out again. Rose Tyler… Jack said she introduced him to the Doctor and that she had fought at the Battle of Canary Wharf. Apparently, according to Jack, she had been separated from the Doctor during the fight and was now trapped in this accursed parallel universe. She said herself just now that she would happily shred apart two universes for the chance to see her Doctor one last time. Ianto understood how she felt; he nearly destroyed the world himself for one last chance to be with Lisa. Love was supposed to be a good thing. Why must it hurt so much?

From behind Ianto there came a sudden pop and an ugly flash of light. Glancing over his shoulder, he beheld the Master holding up a wrist strap that oddly resembled Jack's. His expression was distorted, angry, spiteful, and obsessed. When he saw Rose lying on the ground, free from the Hadron Web that now ceased to exist, a look of intense hatred darkened the entire laboratory, scaring the shadows into oblivion. He snarled, stalking purposely towards the girl and incidentally Jack and Ianto. Or maybe it was the other way around.

Ianto panicked. The Master had found him and neither Jack nor Rose were conscious to help him. He couldn't let the Master recapture him, not so soon after escaping and certainly not after infuriating the monstrous Time Lord. Ianto still hadn't recovered from what he'd already been put through at the Master's hands and he would rather die than go through it again.

Reaching for Jack's holster, Ianto struggled to pull free the gun, but the Master saw what he was doing and picked up his pace. In less than a second he crossed the distance separating them and as Ianto turned to aim the weapon, the Master slapped it from his hand and struck him hard in the face. The force knocked him on top of Jack's body and the pain made his eyes sting. Ianto prayed that Jack would wake up; if Jack woke up, he knew the Master would never stand a chance.

The Master bent over Ianto and wrapped an arm tightly around his neck, fixing him in a headlock. He effortlessly hauled Ianto to his feet and dragged him away from Jack and Rose. "Struggle all you like. With the Bad Wolf gone, you're officially the only thing I want anymore, Ianto, and you're not getting away that easily." Ianto squirmed and wildly thrashed around his arms and legs, trying frantically to break out of the Master's hold, but to no avail.

Kicking open the laboratory door, the Master dragged Ianto into the unlit corridor and swiftly started down the passageway. With every step, more and more of Ianto's resolve ebbed away and found himself begging to be let go. The Master only tightened his grip.

The corridor ended at the entrance of an expansive lobby, but the lobby was sealed off for the night by a security grille that rolled down from the ceiling. Pitching Ianto forward, the Master roughly fastened a handcuff around his left wrist. He forced Ianto's back up against the security grille, shoved the short chain through one of the bars, and shackled his right wrist. Having secured Ianto to the grille, the Master punched him in the stomach and he doubled over, gasping in severe pain. He would have fallen to the ground, but his arms held him up in an unnatural angle that made his shoulders ache.

"Now," the Master said, helping Ianto regain his balance. "I'm going to go take care of Rose and that freak you love so much before he can cause anymore damage."

"Leave them alone!" Ianto cried, which only earned him a hard slap across the face.

"I would suggest you think very carefully about ever crossing me again," the Master said sternly, pulling a blindfold from his pocket. He wrapped it around Ianto's eyes and then kissed him aggressively on the lips. Ianto shrank back, but cuffed to a cold steel grille that hampered his range of motion, he had nowhere to go. When he tried turning his head, the Master grabbed it and held it savagely in place. The kiss seemed to last forever and when the Master finally pulled back, Ianto had never felt closer to breaking. "This shouldn't take me very long," the Master whispered into Ianto's ear. "But if you don't stay put, I will cut out your beloved Jack's heart and feed it to you piece by piece. Do you understand?"

Ianto nodded and after the Master slapped his face one last time, he found himself stranded alone in the dark wondering if this nightmare would ever end.

**ooooooo**

**A/N: **Did you think it was over yet? Please review. Cheers!


	19. Owen Harper

**A/N: **I know people have been asking for Owen. Just remember, this is a parallel world we're talking about. Allons-y!

**ooooooo**

Groaning, Gwen opened her eyes and stared blankly at the bare ceiling above her. It was morning out; sunlight was streaming in through a window, illuminating an otherwise unlit room. She had been tucked under the starched white sheets of a hospital bed with the rails up and an I.V. stand towering next to her. Fighting off traces of a lingering headache, Gwen sat up and blinked several times. Much to her dismay, she was wearing a hospital gown and her phone, weapons, wallet, jewelry, that damn wrist strap, and even the transmitter she had stolen from Saxon were all missing. She had no idea where she was, how long she had been unconscious, or how the hell she was going to explain her actions, particularly to Jack.

Having slept off whatever insanity drove her to Cardiff, Gwen felt well rested, extremely hungry, and ashamed. She was supposed to be investigating the Cybus Industries Headquarters back in London, searching for Rose Tyler while Jack rescued Ianto. What had she been thinking, going after Owen when her friends' lives were all in danger? What kind of person did that make her? How could she be so fucking selfish? For all she knew, Jack could be in Saxon's clutches by now and the rest of the team dead. "No, no way. No fucking way."

Jack knew what he was doing. Rhys was with Martha and Martha knew what she was doing. Ianto and Rose would survive whatever ordeals Saxon put them through and in the end they would all be together again safe at home in the reality where they belonged. Gwen had to stay optimistic; if she didn't she would hate herself to the point of distraction and right now she couldn't afford to let anything distract her. It was time to get back in the game.

Sliding out of bed, barefoot but nevertheless determined, Gwen crept towards the door to the hospital room. Considering she had been armed to the teeth and in possession of alien technology, which made her dangerous and suspicious, she was somewhat surprised by the lack of security, guards, and restraints. Technically she should be under lock and key, not that she was complaining. She couldn't forget this was a parallel world; maybe people were inept around here. Still, it never hurt being cautious.

Warily, Gwen pulled open the door and poked her head out into a long white corridor littered with gurneys, trolleys, a bench or two, and a forgotten wheelchair. Signs and posters covered the walls and emanating from the floor to the ceiling was the unmistakable smell of sanitation. It reminded Gwen of the nursing home where she had last seen her gran. She would never be able to understand how people like Owen and Martha could suffer it. Thank god she wasn't a doctor.

Taking a deep breath, Gwen snuck out into the corridor. There was no one else around, not even the odd janitor, but that could change in the blink of an eye especially when the day was starting. Catching sight of a clock on the wall, Gwen realized it was almost seven-thirty and she felt like a daredevil diving into danger, without the benefit of a safety net. She had nothing to assist her or point her in the right direction, but like a daredevil she wouldn't let that stop her.

Scurrying over to a trolley, Gwen searched for something that might serve as a tool or a weapon. She couldn't leave without the wrist strap; otherwise how was she supposed to return to London? She needed something to convince someone to help her, something persuasive. Unfortunately, the trolley only carted medication, a stethoscope, a box of gloves, masks, valves, syringes, and other sundries Owen might find useful, but meant nothing to Gwen. There wasn't even a bloody scalpel!

"Wait a minute…" As Gwen dug through the trinkets on the trolley's bottom shelf, she noticed a familiar device that brought a smile to her face. Owen's singularity scalpel. Now _that_ right there was a hundred times better than an ordinary human scalpel. In this reality, she knew the general public had long since been made aware of extraterrestrial life and apparently their hospitals were now utilizing alien equipment. Perhaps it wasn't a crime for her to be walking around the streets of Cardiff with wrist devices and transmitters after all.

Gingerly picking up the singularity scalpel which had been brandished the day of Gwen's wedding to remove a fetal Nostrovite from her womb without killing her or cutting into her body, she flipped it over to glance at the screen on the back… and also to point away the barrel. Turning the small cylindrical protuberance on the side of the scalpel, she activated it and not a moment too soon.

"You shouldn't be out of bed, love."

Whipping around, Gwen pointed the scalpel at Owen Harper of all people. He was wearing a white lab coat, a name tag, and a startlingly cheerful expression, but the moment he recognized Gwen's weapon of choice, he froze, his expression melting. Slowly he raised his hands as a jumble of emotions bombarded Gwen. Shock, dismay, utter joy, and confusion… Suddenly she couldn't think straight, she could barely breathe, and it occurred to her how ridiculous she must look.

"Take it easy, love," Owen said nervously, stepping towards her. Gwen backed away, opening her mouth but unable to respond. What could she possibly say to him? She had traveled all the way from London, against orders no less, just for the chance to see him again, but now that she had found him she was aiming a singularity scalpel in his direction while finally accepting how different he was from the Owen she had known. Jack was right; they were two completely separate men. All it took was the perspiration moisturizing Owen's brow to convince Gwen she was facing an absolute stranger. It brought tears to her eyes.

"Are you all right?" Owen asked, noting her tears. His alarm diminished, replaced by a countenance so rare it took Gwen a moment to identify. Compassion. "Look, we found you out in Bute Park. You were unconscious. Now, judging from the technology you were carrying I wouldn't be surprised if you could wield that thing better than me, especially since you've already managed to turn it on. But before you start using it, you have to believe me, I only want to help you." At least he didn't ask her to trust him on this. That was a good sign.

"I can't stay here," Gwen said, her voice trembling. It was all she could do to hold the singularity scalpel steady. If this Owen Harper was anything like the Owen Harper she knew and loved, he would make his move the moment she showed any signs of weaknesses, the moment she faltered. She had to be careful. "If you really want to help me, you'll show me where my belongings are. I'm feeling much better now, thank you, and I'll gladly be on my way."

"Of course, you don't need to wave around potentially lethal equipment just to check out of the hospital," Owen said, offering her a friendly smile. "This is the People's Republic, after all, you've got rights. Just… give me the scalpel." While keeping his left hand up where she could see it, Owen extended his right hand, nodding either benevolently or encouragingly. Possibly both. Gwen hesitated, but then pulled back, aggressively adjusting the device's cylindrical protuberance. Owen got the message and jerked his hand away, a look of mild frustration crossing his face. Gwen couldn't help but smile at the familiar expression.

"There, you see?" she said. "I'm the one calling the shots here, not you. So why don't you try being honest with me? Where are my belongings? Why wasn't I under guard?"

Owen sighed, averting his eyes. If Gwen really was in a hospital and not some sort of governmental research facility or detention center, then Owen might not be accustomed to confronting hostile antagonists, in which case she had the advantage. "Your belongings are in a locker downstairs. You weren't under guard because this ward was put under quarantine when you arrived. I admit it was a hasty evacuation." He glanced pointedly at the carelessly discarded trolleys. "But we're still not sure what we're dealing with. _They_ wanted to restrain you, but I managed to convince them that wasn't necessary. After all, you're one of the good guys." He offered her another placating smile. "If you try escaping, Mrs. Williams, _they _will start using force, and I'll be considerably embarrassed."

Gwen didn't like the ominous emphasis he gave to the word 'they.' She wasn't sure who _they_ were, but if Owen didn't like them, she knew she would despise them. "Sorry, I don't quite understand. I had a migraine. I fainted. Why do those symptoms warrant a quarantine?"

Owen glanced at her reluctantly, obviously thinking they had gotten to the heart of the matter, though Gwen seriously doubted he knew what the crux truly was. Parallel worlds… evil genius… cosmic battle to save Earth… same old, same old. But when Owen answered, Gwen couldn't deny the significance of his explanation. "Three months ago, Mrs. Williams. You were shot in the line of duty. I operated on you, but you didn't make it. You died. You're supposed to be dead."

The smell of sanitation along with the sudden stifling heat made Gwen nauseas. She reminded herself for the umpteenth time that she was stranded in a parallel world, but some things humans would never get used to. Of course, this didn't compare to what the poor victims brought back to life by the resurrection gauntlet had to endure, but it was nevertheless unsettling. She was supposed to be dead? "I think you've got me confused with someone else."

"Impossible," Owen said gravely. "Because your daughter attends kindergarten with my son. And every time I pick my boy up from school, I run into your husband, and I see his grief and I picture your face. The face of a hero I couldn't save. You're not supposed to get emotionally attached, but… I don't know. You sacrificed your life trying to protect those kids and if there were more people like you in the world… I just thought more than anyone else you deserved to be saved and I did everything I could for you, but it wasn't enough. So when I say I want to help you, Mrs. Williams, I'm not lying."

A single tear slid down Gwen's face. Everything about what Owen just said was wrong. She didn't have a daughter. He didn't have a son. And though Owen, as cynical as he was, had been known to attach himself emotionally to the people he helped, he wasn't this sentimental to strangers. Gwen had thought seeing Owen again might alleviate her heartache, but now she only missed him more than ever. It wasn't fair. "You… you have a family?"

Owen nodded. "I have one son and my wife's expecting another. We just found out. Her name's Katie, my wife. She's actually the reason I'm qualified to be helping you right now. Few years back an alien attached itself to her brain. It was incubating. That device you're holding is called a singularity scalpel. After detecting the alien I was able to remove it with that device. Didn't even have to operate. It saved her life. Got me a commendation from U.N.I.T. and everything." His smile turned modest and Gwen suddenly understood why this Owen was so different from the Owen in her reality. Jack had told her about Katie shortly after Owen's death. She had been killed by that damn alien; Owen was unable to save her. They had been engaged, very much in love, and Owen just couldn't let go. Eventually Jack invited him to work at Torchwood, but by then it was too late. Owen never recovered. Who knows? If Katie hadn't died, maybe the Owen from Gwen's reality would have turned out more like the Owen from this reality. Happier.

"Say I trust you," Gwen said after a moment, but without lowering the singularity scalpel. She had to make it look like Owen was making progress, otherwise he might grow too impatient with her. "I fainted in Bute Park and was brought to this hospital where you took all my possessions and placed me in quarantine because three months ago I was killed protecting a group of children and you've never seen anyone brought back from the dead before. So now what? What do you want from me?"

Owen shrugged. "Mostly we want answers. Are you really Gwen Williams? If so, how is it that you're alive? If not, why do you look like her? Why do you have her DNA? What were you doing with guns and alien technology? Who do you work for and what happened in Bute Park? Why did you faint? Are you still in pain? Is there anything else wrong with you?"

"Can you contact my family?" Gwen asked knowingly and Owen's blatant hesitation confirmed her suspicions. He was lying when he said she could check out of the hospital. She didn't have any rights and the People's Republic wasn't a democracy. This world already belonged to Harold Saxon. "That's all right," she told Owen coldly. "I have no desire to see my family. But now I know I'm a prisoner. You just hoped I'd be more reasonable about it. After all, I'm a police officer. I'm one of the good guys. I should understand why it needs to be this way."

Owen's gaze shifted from Gwen to something over Gwen's shoulder, alerting her to an oncoming threat. Turning her back to the wall, Gwen kept Owen in her sights but aimed the singularity scalpel at the dark haired demon sneaking up behind her. "Suzie Costello, what the fuck are you doing here?"

Suzie, who Gwen knew to be on good terms with Harold Saxon thanks to John Hart's inside information, presently approached her with a smirk and an aimed gun. "I work for U.N.I.T., Miss Gwen. I hardly care about quarantine, particularly since I know everything about you. And you are wrong, Dr. Harper, she is not one of the good guys. She's nothing more than an evil assassin who killed Lieutenant-General Sanchez not five hours ago." Suzie's smirk widened into a cruel, calculating grin. Like Owen, she barely resembled her counterpart from Gwen's reality, for though Gwen could never love the woman who had tried murdering her twice, there was still something tragic about the Suzie Costello she had known so long ago. This Suzie, on the other hand, was pure bitch.

"Are you really going to frame me for that?" Gwen asked, scoffing. She assumed the scornful, unperturbed attitude that worked so well for Captain Jack, refusing to let _this _Suzie Costello treat her with the same condescension as her parallel counterpart. Gwen wasn't a child anymore. She wasn't a novice. She had been working at Torchwood for two years now and if she was ever going to prove that she could handle herself, if she was ever going to convince herself that she could carry on after Owen and Tosh's deaths, then she would do so now as she dealt with her own inner demons. Suzie Costello was like a symbol of Gwen's inadequacy. She was always so weak and vulnerable around the damn woman. Gray and John Hart were nothing compared to Suzie. But not anymore. "Your dear Harold Saxon is supposed to be bloody brilliant and the best he can do to avenge himself is blame me for Sanchez's death? That makes him a murderer, a coward, and somewhat banal."

Suzie's haughtiness dissipated and she glowered at Gwen hatefully. It seemed she really did admire Saxon; she was obviously indignant on the Time Lord's behalf. "This hospital is surrounded, Gwen. The exits, the windows, they're all under guard. I came in alone to discipline you personally, but know this, you cannot escape judgment. If I fail to bring out your body in twenty minutes, this facility will be decimated by U.N.I.T. soldiers attempting to retrieve you. There is nowhere for you to run, so if you care anything at all about the safety of this hospital's occupants, I would advise you accept the fate you so clearly deserve."

"Oh you would?" Gwen asked callously. "Let me point out some obvious flaws in that suggestion. One, why should it matter to me whether or not you destroy this hospital if I end up dead either way? It's not like I'll be alive to worry about it. Two, what makes you think I'd even care? This isn't my world. I'm not responsible for it. And three, my personal favorite, since I destroyed the transmitter hypnotizing everyone, how does Saxon plan on justifying the decimation of a hospital in Cardiff when Sanchez's assassin couldn't possibly have made it out of London? Unless, of course, the People's Republic is nowhere near as secure as it ought to be."

Suzie's expression darkened. She cocked the gun and images of Jack getting shot in the head haunted Gwen. She dove behind the trolley just as Suzie fired; the bullet grazed her arm, but Gwen had suffered worse injuries in the past and barely registered the pain. Instead, she shoved the trolley at Suzie, who easily sidestepped, but while her attention was fixed on the cart, Gwen held up the singularity scalpel and focused it on the gun. She doubted Owen would have left it lying around unless it was in perfect working order, so she calibrated it for the gun's bullets and fired.

Suzie shrieked as the blast kicked the gun out of her hands, nearly knocking her backwards. Dropping the singularity scalpel, Gwen charged towards her. Suzie looked up and instinctively swung her fist, but Gwen blocked it before striking her enemy's nose with a fearsome headbutt. Suzie collapsed and Gwen fell on top of her, punching her over and over again with her good arm. Her vision blurred and Gwen wondered if the bullet had done more damage than she had thought, but then she realized she was crying.

"That's enough, Gwen!" Owen was suddenly at her side, pulling her off Suzie. Gwen resisted, but only until she grasped his words. "That's enough! You'll kill her! Come on; we have to get you stitched up and away from this place before they send anyone else in after you." He was on her side. Gwen couldn't believe it. Owen was on her side and with that realization she allowed him to guide her down the hospital corridor.

**ooooooo**

With Owen's help, Gwen managed to sneak downstairs to the locker where all her belongings were confined. She sported a new scar that stung considerably, but she ignored it in honor of Toshiko who had refused to allow a more lethal wound stop her from saving the world before she died. Changing out of the hospital gown, Gwen armed herself, pocketed the transmitter, and strapped on the wrist device. It was time for her to leave Cardiff.

"We have teleports," Owen said, easing Gwen into her jacket. She glanced over her shoulder frowning, but he nodded sincerely. "You see, they're more efficient than ambulances. Expensive, yes, but worth while. I can get you one. They're short range, so they won't teleport you very far, but at least you'll get by the U.N.I.T. soldiers."

"Thanks," Gwen said, shaking her head. "But you've already risked enough trying to help me. I don't know what for. You don't have any reason to trust me, especially after U.N.I.T.'s accusation. I can't ask you to jeopardize your career, hell, even your life, any more than you have done." She smiled weakly. "I should really knock you unconscious like I did Suzie. Make it look like I forced you into this."

Owen waved her suggestion aside. "Don't trouble yourself. I'll come up with something convincing." Gwen didn't doubt it. There would always be something a little rebellious about Owen Harper, even in a parallel world where he was happy. It was just in his nature. "Gwen Williams," he said looking her up and down in admiration. "I dunno, there's something right about you. Can't put my finger on it, but when you and that Costello woman were facing off and I had to decide who I was going to believe… she was cruel and you were human."

Listening to Owen genuinely compliment her was too bizarre. Gwen shuddered and turned away, touching her arm in a feeble attempt to draw his attention back to her wound. She didn't want him suspecting how upset his words made her. Not for the first time, she realized he wasn't the Owen she was searching for. And yet… he was the closest thing she'd ever find. If this really was her last chance… she shouldn't waste it. She couldn't remember the last thing she ever said to Owen before he died… but whatever it was, she knew it couldn't possibly have conveyed the depths of her love for him or how much she would miss him.

"Thank you," she said abruptly, turning back around. She stared into his eyes, imagining the man she had loved, and for a single heartbeat she almost convinced herself the two were one and the same. "I know deep down you still wish you could have saved me three months ago and somehow you think this makes up for it, which is the only reason you're helping me. But you need to know something, Owen. I wouldn't be who I am today without you." Owen had steeled her for the job when Jack had tried preserving her gentle, loving heart. She still liked to think of herself as compassionate, but she had more spirit now and much more confidence. Owen hadn't just seen her at her best and her worst, he had been there right at her side. When Jack disappeared, Owen helped her take command. He helped her grow strong. It was a journey they traversed together and though Gwen found herself with Rhys while Owen finally caught sight of Toshiko, they both improved, they both bettered themselves, alongside each other. There was so much Gwen owed him, but it was too late now. "If I could, I'd give the world to repay you, but I can't."

He looked like he was about to cut in; his expression was dire. Gwen knew if he said anything it would remind her who he actually was and ruin the peace that was slowly enveloping her. She held up her wrist, activating the Time Agency's infamous device, savoring these last few seconds of ambiguity. Was she talking to _a _Owen Harper or to _her _Owen Harper? And did it even matter? "I'm glad you saved Katie's life and you'd best cherish her, Owen. She'll make you happy. As for me, I'm just a ghost you rescued. You're not going to see me again, which is how it's meant to be. Just promise yourself that you'll have a long and brilliant life, because you deserve it."

Catching her breath, Gwen triggered the wrist strap. The Vortex opened and like a typical ghost she vanished into thin air. Later she would ask herself why the concept of a daughter never bothered her. She didn't even want to know the girl's name. But upon reflection, Gwen would remember what Jack said about parallel worlds. _She_ did not have a daughter and just because some other Gwen from an alternate reality did, that didn't make it any of her business. If and when she and Rhys decided to have children, she didn't want the experience or the joy influenced by an alternate reality. She and Rhys would make it their very own reality and it would be personal and incomparable.

But for now, Gwen couldn't let thoughts of Owen or children distract her. She had a job to do, a Time Lord to stop, and friends to save. For the first time in weeks she felt sure of herself and ready for anything.

**ooooooo**

**A/N: **I'm bracing myself for reviews, 'cause I've never written Owen before and this is an alternate version of the character. Please tell me what you think. Cheers!


	20. The Citadel

**A/N: **Sorry for the delay. I'm literally taking these characters farther than I've ever gone before and it's a challenge to write. Lots of fun, though. Ready? Allons-y!

**ooooooo**

His Tardis was dead. It was dead, nothing more than an empty shell, a husk, a skeleton decomposing. Dead. That bloody Freak killed it. He extracted the Time Vortex from the Bad Wolf, destroyed the Hadron Web, and then consumed the heart and soul of the Tardis, slaughtering it at the cost of his own life. But while the Freak would soon awaken, rising from the dead, the Tardis would crumble. It wasn't just a spaceship; to some extent all Tardises were living beings and after a certain point they could never be repaired. This Tardis had seen the end of its days.

The Master fumed, staring up at the dark and inert central column. He didn't care about the Tardis; he never felt strong emotional connections to such vessels as did some Time Lords. It was a mere inconvenience to him, at most an insult. The Freak had stolen Ianto, he had slain the Bad Wolf, and he had destroyed the greatest piece of technology Earth had ever beheld, all in one night. His blatant defiance was offensive; his impertinence angered the Master more than the loss of his Tardis. After all, he could easily replace the ship but it took considerable effort to mend his wounded pride.

Storming out of the Tardis, the Master locked the mahogany doors and glanced around the laboratory. A new day had started and several scientists were already at their stations pulling out their research. They wisely avoided the Time Lord, recognizing the look on his face and knowing better than to interrupt him or otherwise try his patience. Oddly enough, there wasn't any sign of Pete Tyler or Dr. Sato, who were usually the first two on the job. Where had they gone off to? The Master wondered about that, but gave it no real thought. He was too obsessed with other matters.

In the hours that had passed since apprehending the Freak, Rose, and Ianto, the Master had kept himself busy making permanent arrangements for the prisoners. The Freak would have to be disposed of; he was just too dangerous. As soon as he came back to life, the Master would spend an hour or two playing with him for Ianto and Rose's benefit. Then he would have the Freak killed again, stripped naked, and jettisoned into the Void. More so than even a black hole, the Void was impossible to escape. More so than a black hole, it was hellish. The Void was empty, the space between dimensions, without life, time, movement, activity, or death. Those who fell in literally ceased to exist and the Master thought it an appropriate, fitting end for the Freak who caused him so much trouble.

As for Rose, she was nothing to him now. The Master had been infatuated with the Bad Wolf; you could almost say he loved her. The Bad Wolf was a queen, a majestic all-powerful insurmountable beauty and she had been his pet. Next to that, Rose Tyler was nothing more than revolting scum. They had been two separate entities, Rose and the Bad Wolf. The girl was a wretched human and the creature a regal goddess. And now that the Bad Wolf was gone, the Master couldn't bear looking at her. He couldn't put her on display, he couldn't prize her, she was worthless.

Hatred, hostility, malice, and spite pulsated from the Master. His fury was endless. Without the Bad Wolf, he felt something he never expected. Despair. And it was maddening. He needed to travel. If he stayed much longer on one planet's linear timeline, he would suffocate. He needed out, he needed release, he needed to wash his hands in blood. As soon as he replaced his Tardis, he would take Ianto Jones and force him to watch as he towed all of Earth into the center of the sun. There would be devastation. Everything on this planet would die. Rose and her people would burn. The time had come. And with Ianto as the sole surviving human, the Master would ravage the universe, instigating chaos as only a Time Lord knew how.

Activating his new wrist strap's teleportation device, the Master flew from his laboratory in the Cybus Industries H.Q. back to his flat in the Cybus Control Tower. He arrived in the dining room where a dozen slabs sat at the elongated table guarding Ianto and despite everything he couldn't help but smile at the poor boy's predicament. Ianto had been strapped down to the same chair as before, but instead of a blindfold, his eyes were covered by one of the virtual reality headsets humans manufactured shortly after encountering the Isolus. With the intensity level set on maximum, Ianto was reliving the Battle of Canary Wharf. And just to make it more interesting, the Master had reprogrammed the simulation to favor the Cybermen. Torchwood and the parallel world's beloved Doctor would all fail. Everything would be deleted, leaving Ianto trapped in a world overrun by the heartless cyborgs responsible for his girlfriend's death.

Temporarily appeased, the Master made his way from the dining room to one of his parlors where he had set up an enormous Xyloc supercomputer. Having suppressed the alien crystal that operated the machine, the Master had absolute control over its limitless capabilities. He could easily send instructions to his slabs on Gallifrey and before noon another Tardis would be well on its way to Earth. Soon everything he wanted, everything he craved, would be his for the taking. No one, not even the Freak himself, would be able to stop him.

**ooooooo**

The Time Lord's legendary citadel was everything Martha imagined it to be. From the balcony where the Tardis landed she had seen the spires she once dreamed of, the temples and cathedrals… Now, as she, Rhys, and Pete wandered through endless corridors, exploring massive chambers that resembled classrooms and laboratories with complicated mathematical formulas, intricate patterns, and other designs engraved on the walls, she was filled with a sense of ecstasy. She wondered if she looked as dazed and besotted as she felt.

At some point the citadel must have been abandoned. As far as Martha could tell, there were no doors or windows; everything was open, presumably because Time Lords possessed force fields that could shelter them from the elements. The only source of light illumining the city came from the twin suns outside. They cast shadows around the perfectly chiseled statues populating the corridors. The statues were carved from a white mineral Martha couldn't identify; they stood on elaborate plinths and represented various Gallifreyan classes, sects, or orders. Martha couldn't be sure, but while some of the figures wore flowing robes with intimidating arched headdresses, others wore militaristic uniforms, academic apparel, and lavish ornamental regalia. They certainly seemed to have different occupations, but as convincing as the statues might be, they were no substitutes for living men and women. Apart from them, the city was completely devoid.

"Where is everyone?" Martha asked herself, though she had to admit it wasn't much of a surprise. If Saxon could conquer Earth without the Doctor's interference, without the Time Lords' interference, maybe he had already conquered Gallifrey. Yes, it was definitely the worst-case scenario, but if Martha acknowledged it hopefully she would be ready for anything. With that in mind, she paused in front of a particularly daunting statue of a robed man crowned with one of those prestigious headdresses. "Why do I get the feeling you've got more answers than I do?"

"Is this really the Doctor's planet?" Pete asked as he and Rhys trailed behind Martha. "These statues… these people… they don't look anything like him." Martha knew exactly what he meant. The Doctor's wardrobe was a bit more disheveled than these blokes'. Compared to them the Doctor was a ragged vagabond, no doubt about it. But Martha wouldn't have him any other way.

"That's because the Doctor's sort of what you'd call a runaway," she explained, thinking back to the year that never was and the Doctor's apology for both the Master and his people. In a sense, the Time Lords were responsible for the Master's insanity. "You know he wasn't born a Time Lord. He had to attend some sort of academy and undergo an initiation to earn the title. Apparently the initiation's a major influence. It can inspire you, scare you away, or drive you mad. That's why Saxon's an evil genius; he was driven mad during his initiation. I reckon the Doctor got scared. He said he's never stopped running since his. These statues on the other hand obviously portray the majority who were inspired by their initiation." She shrugged, glancing back at her two companions. Poor Rhys still looked overwhelmed.

"So," Pete said, chewing thoughtfully on this latest revelation. "The Doctor's a brilliant hero who saved two universes from the Cybermen after already winning Rose's heart thanks to his intrepid, gallant nature, not to mention his idealism, and yet compared to the rest of his species, he's a petty vagrant." Pete chuckled. "I guess that proves it. Humans really are inconsequential."

"Now hold on," Martha said, rounding on Pete in defense of both Earth and the Doctor. "We're not inconsequential and the Doctor's not petty. I've seen things, Pete Tyler, things you wouldn't believe. I've seen what humans are capable of, both the good and the ugly, and you have no idea how much we'll accomplish in the long run. The Doctor loves Earth; he fights for it the same way he fought for Gallifrey. He risks everything, more than you could possibly comprehend, for us because he believes we're worth protecting and after everything he's lost, after everything he's suffered, he never gives up. He's twice the hero the rest of the Time Lords could ever hope to be, I know it in my heart." She glared at Pete who had the decency to look abashed, especially when she topped her argument with an assertion she couldn't explain but nevertheless trusted. "And if Rose were here, she would say the exact same thing."

Something stirred within Martha, some sort of camaraderie she had never felt before. For once in her life, the thought of Rose did nothing to threaten or dishearten her, but actually emboldened her. It justified her faith in humanity. Looking at Pete, Martha knew she'd been right. His chastised expression assured her that Rose would sooner uphold her own protestations than her so-called father's. Maybe there was a chance Martha and Rose could be friends after all. The possibility was unexpected and rather encouraging. Feeling satisfied, Martha turned her back on Pete and whipped out her cell to ring Mickey. The two had tested their phones before splitting up, confirming their compatibility and Martha supposed she had universal roaming to thank for that.

"You're never going to believe what I've found!" Mickey exclaimed, answering his phone before Martha could get a word in edgewise. His tone could only be described as gleeful. "Tin dogs from the bloody future! There's a whole stack of 'em. I think the Doctor calls them K-9 units. They're brilliant, Martha, just ask Sarah Jane Smith. She'll vouch for 'em. It looks like they've all been deactivated, but Toshiko and I'll have them up and running again in no time, you just watch."

Martha stared at her phone in perplexity before holding it back up to her ear. "Tin dogs? Am I hearing you correctly?" Mickey, Jake, and Toshiko had decided to explore a different level of the city while Martha, Pete, and Rhys investigated downstairs. They were all searching for something, anything, to help combat the Master and judging from the sound of it Mickey was making progress; at least more progress than Martha was. But still… tin dogs? That didn't sound very promising.

"I'll have you know they're man's best friend," Mickey stated proudly and Martha could detect a hint of pleasure in his voice, as if he was delighted to know something that she didn't about the Doctor. "Hell, they're a Time Lord's best friend. I'm telling you, short of the Doctor himself we couldn't ask for a better weapon. And there's five of 'em!" His enthusiasm was contagious and Martha surrendered to it, well aware of the countless mysteries surrounding the Doctor. His life was so chock-full of tiny little details that Martha sometimes wondered if even _he _could keep track of them all.

"All right then Mickey," she said somewhat amused. "If you think five tin dogs can benefit us, Rose, and the Doctor, who am I to argue? Just try to make sure they're not rabid first. Parallel world and all." Not that Mickey needed reminding.

"Don't worry," he confidently replied. "They're not guard dogs, Martha, otherwise Saxon would have left them turned on." He made a good point and after reminding him to take care, Martha terminated the phone call. Having dutifully checked up on Mickey's team, she fixed her eyes back on Pete and Rhys, both of whom had managed to drift away from her. She quickly scrambled after them.

Rhys had discovered a sort of atrium with even more statues encircling a large fountain. Martha had never seen such pure water, it even smelled fresh, though the sweetest fragrances came from the colorful, vibrant lotus flowers floating on the surface of the marble basin's pool. The blossoms were beautiful but hard to look at; while each petal was trimmed with sparkling silver, the dominant hues varied from reds and purples to blues and yellows and then to colors Martha didn't recognize and couldn't place on the spectrum. Rhys gingerly picked up one such blossom and considered it uneasily. "I haven't got a name for this, Martha. It's not right. I mean, there's something forbidden about it. Not even Gwen has seen a plant like this."

Pete ambled over to the fountain, glanced at the flowers, and then shrugged nonchalantly. "Colors are determined by the wavelengths of light. Obviously the Time Lords discovered a means of revolutionizing wavelengths to create colors that humans are psychologically unable to visualize. I doubt they'll be able to help save Rose." And with that he ambled off, leaving Rhys and Martha to glance awkwardly at each other.

"All right," Rhys grumbled, dropping the flower back in the basin. "I get it. We're traveling in a time machine, but we don't have time to stop and smell the roses. Fantastic." Martha patted his arm sympathetically as they followed Pete. "I mean it's not like this is the only alien planet I'll ever get to explore. I'm sure all I've got to do is ask and Jack will happily provide me and Gwen a ship to tour the galaxy. Shouldn't be a bloody problem." Martha grinned; it was all she could do not to laugh. She figured Pete wouldn't appreciate it.

"So is this what it's like traveling with your Doctor?" Rhys eventually asked as they made their way down another flight of stairs. "You, Jack, Mickey… You all sound so devoted to him and I can see why if he shows you planets like this. It's got to be amazing."

"It is," Martha hesitantly agreed. There was an edge to Rhys' voice alerting her to his deeper, almost hidden query. "Traveling with him, it's breathtaking. The thing is, when you're with him, you never want to stop. You could spend the rest of your life in the Tardis. There's always one more planet, one more generation, one more century to explore. You get carried away with him. You think it can last forever." Martha vividly recalled Donna Noble's words when she and the Doctor last parted ways. "It's difficult going back to a normal life after seeing what's out there. Believe me, I've tried, but here I am working for U.N.I.T., lost in a parallel world, standing on Gallifrey. My mum would kill me if she knew."

"Gwen would love it," Rhys said with a sigh. "She'd jump at this kind of opportunity."

"Oh, I don't know about that," Martha quietly assured him. "Gwen loves her job too much. And she loves you. And I honestly don't think it would occur to her to even ask the Doctor for a jaunt through space. Especially since…" Martha trailed off, sensitive to the grief that still haunted them all. Rhys didn't need any elaboration; unspoken words passed between them and when their gazes met they shared a moment's sorrow. They might not have known Owen and Toshiko as well as they would have liked, but they still felt their loss whenever they perceived Gwen or Jack's misery. Compassion was a funny thing. In any event, Gwen wasn't about to leave her family and friends when she was still recovering from the horrors of that one night. She knew how precious they were. Too precious to abandon. "Besides," Martha said, forcing a smile. "The Doctor doesn't like guns."

The corridor at the bottom of the stairs opened into a vast, semicircular, domed chamber filled with long rows of futuristic white tables. Statues of the prominent Time Lords sat facing the front of the room where an official bench loomed over everything on a raised platform. Martha caught her breath; she had never seen anything like it. The chamber was more expansive and opulent than the sanctuary at St. Paul's Cathedral. It was dimly lit and somewhat dusty, but reverence and prestige lingered in the air like shadows or ghosts. Awestruck, Martha hesitated, for merely standing amongst the statues felt akin to trespassing. She was trespassing on sacred, holy ground, though she was certain the chamber was governmental and not religious. These Time Lords… they were the greatest race in the universe and she was not qualified to be in their company.

"What is this place?" Rhys asked as Pete stalked down the center aisle towards the bench on the raised platform. "Why the statues? Are we in a museum or something? Is this an exhibit?" Martha had been wondering the same thing herself. Warily, she crept up to a statue and gave it a closer inspection. The chamber itself seemed too authentic to be a museum replica and even if it was an exhibit, why not use more realistic mannequins or even holograms to depict the people rather than carved statues? It didn't make any sense. What were they doing here?

From across the chamber Pete whistled, catching Martha and Rhys' attention. They looked up at him sharply and he nodded to their right. Following his gaze, they spotted a side entrance and suddenly perceived marching footsteps. Something was coming and from the sound of it Martha suspected a relatively large group of intent, purposeful, possibly sinister aliens. Instinct kicked in and she sidled past the statues seated in the nearest row of tables, ducking for cover. Rhys and Pete weren't far behind her.

As stealthily as she could, Martha peered over the top of the white table in time to witness six tall, dark figures stomping two by two around the chamber and up onto the raised platform. Squinting her eyes, Martha nearly lost her balance in alarm. Slabs! She immediately recognized the black leather slave drones with their biker helmets and sheer belligerence from the first day she met the Doctor. The day her hospital was transported to the moon. The day her life changed forever. She would never forget it. The slabs, the rhino Judoon, Florence Finnegan, every single detail was etched in her memory. What the hell were slabs doing on Gallifrey?

Though the official bench on the raised platform was nearly fifty meters away, Martha could nevertheless make out three statues facing the rest of the chamber. The middle statue resembled a slight young woman who the slabs took an inordinate amount of interest in and as they crowded around her, Martha was struck by a terrible epiphany. What if those statues weren't truly statues? What if they were actually…?

One of the slabs held up a radiant silver diadem which it placed on the head of the woman. Martha covered her mouth as the stone slowly melted into flesh. The statue became living; a genuine Time Lady with a young, refined face and golden hair that fell past her shoulders in gentle, silky locks. She was made all the more notable by her taste in clothing; instead of the flowing robes and intimidating headdresses worn by her compatriots, this woman wore a long pink coat with a white scarf. Somehow she matched the Doctor more so than the other Time Lords and for that Martha's empathy escalated.

Suddenly mindful of her surroundings, the Time Lady ripped the diadem from her head and cast it violently aside, jumping from her seat. Unfortunately, her arms were caught by two of the slabs and they easily restrained her while she fought and screamed, mostly out of frustration. There was anger on her face; not fear, not despair, just righteous anger and Martha couldn't blame for that. She ducked back under the table, glancing at Rhys in dismay as the slabs forcibly escorted the Time Lady from the platform, around the chamber, and out through the side entrance.

Once they were gone, Martha, Rhys, and Pete slowly clambered to their feet, regarding each of the remaining statues with newfound appreciation. They weren't just monuments, they were prisoners trapped inside stone encasements. Martha had seen stranger things in her lifetime, like pig slaves and human Daleks, but still the thought of one renegade Time Lord managing to transform an entire civilization into cold, lifeless statues frightened her more than she cared to admit. If he could do this to Gallifrey, what would he do to Earth?

"You're bloody mad, all of you," Rhys exclaimed in a frantic stage whisper, glancing from Martha to Pete. "And this… this is bollocks, this is! Statues coming to life? Now I've seen everything!" It was all Martha could do to resist the very strong urge to dispute that claim and upon meeting Pete's frazzled gaze, she took solace in the fact that he understood exactly how she felt. Rhys, however, remained perfectly oblivious. Then again, on the bright side, he went on to display a bit of that fighting spirit Martha was looking for in all her teammates. "What are we going to do? We've got to help that woman!"

"Right," Martha said, making a break for the side entrance. "Then we'd best follow them. Try and figure out what the bloody hell is going on." When she didn't hear either Rhys or Pete rushing after her, she risked glancing over her shoulder and found them both standing motionlessly, staring after her in blatant stupefaction. She paused long enough to roll her eyes. "Will you two hurry up? We haven't got all day and we don't want to lose them now do we?"

"No."

"Of course not."

They took that as their cue and sprang toward the side entrance. Martha sternly watched them go before striding after them, making a mental note to applaud the Doctor next time she saw him. Being in command… it was certainly hard work and the Doctor never got enough credit.

**ooooooo**

"System restarting. All primary drives functioning."

As the tin dog's red visor lit up and as the two sensors serving as dog ears began wiggling, Mickey laughed and Toshiko cried out in delight. It worked! They gleefully embraced each other while Jake, who had been keeping an eye on the entrance to the alleged storage closet, bounded over to see what all the fuss was about. He stopped short at the sight of the robot gliding across the floor, backwards and forwards, as if testing its mobility. Whether or not Mickey said he knew what he was doing, to Jake the thing resembled a Cyberman, or perhaps a Cyberanimal, way too closely for comfort.

"Short-range scanners detecting three human organisms in the near vicinity," the dog stated in a shrill, mechanical voice that set Jake's teeth on edge. His mind was screaming 'Cyberman,' but he had to trust Mickey. He knew the Doctor and Mickey said this robot was the Doctor's pet. He couldn't imagine the Doctor keeping some sort of Cyberanimal as a pet, not after everything they'd gone through thanks to John Lumic. The Doctor was a lot of things, sure, but he wasn't a hypocrite, was he?

"Yeah, that's us, that's us!" Mickey said, lying flat on the ground in front of the dog. "K-9, you've got to listen. My name's Mickey Smith and that there's Jake and that's Toshiko. We're from Earth. We're the Doctor's friends, well, sort of. I'm actually from a parallel world and Tosh here hasn't technically met the Doctor, not from this reality or any other, but we _are_ on his side, I promise you, and we're here to help. Have you got that?"

"Affirmative," the dog said and Jake, who hadn't been able to breathe until now, exhaled deeply, a sigh of considerable relief. The dog began gliding its way over to the entrance, slipping past Jake without acknowledging him. "Midrange scanners detecting three additional human organisms, six drones of rudimentary intelligence, and the mistress. Must administer assistance."

"We'll come with you," Mickey said, jumping to his feet. Grabbing Jake's hand, he bolted after the tin dog, carried away by his enthusiasm. Toshiko, on the other hand, wasn't nearly as eager to leave behind the four remaining K-9 units. She was a techie; she would much rather be fiddling with them than running around the citadel 'administering assistance' wherever she went.

"Wait a minute, where do you think you're going?" she shouted desperately after them. "There are still four others we've got to get back online! We can't just abandon them!"

"Let's go, Toshiko!" Jake called over his shoulder as Mickey dragged him along. "We've got to stick together!"

"I know that!" she yelled, catching up with them irately. She proceeded to gripe about how much technology they had at their disposal and what a waste it was deserting four out of five tin dogs just because one of them decided to run off. Jake found it amusing how quickly Toshiko had gone from utter delight to sheer frustration.

"No worries," he told her cheerfully. To be quite honest, he would much rather contend with one 'Cyberanimal' than five, if this K-9 unit turned out to be the 'Cyberanimal' it looked like. "I'm sure the tin dog can handle whatever threats are lying in wait for us without its little tin brothers and sisters. But if it's right, if Pete and Martha and Rhys need our assistance, then that's our first priority. You can play with your new toys later, I promise." And that was a promise Jake intended to keep. Right now Toshiko was still swept up in the exhilaration that often came with these sorts of escapades, where people dared to embark on fantastic adventures, but Jake still remembered the crippled woman she had been when they found her in Saxon's laboratory. He didn't want to see her reverting back into that condition, but right now they had a job to do and Jake feared what would become of her if they failed this late in the game. Saxon would show no mercy and every second they delayed, _he _was one step closer to discovering them.

They were running out of time. Jake knew it, he could sense it almost instinctively. And when Harold Saxon finally did discover them, they could only hope that one 'Cyberanimal,' one K-9 unit, would be enough to save them.

**ooooooo**

**A/N: **Sorry, I couldn't resist throwing in K-9 or the mysterious Time Lady whose name some of you should be able to guess. I figured if Gallifrey still exists in this reality, I should include more than just the Master and the Doctor. Please let me know what you think. When writing a chapter that delves into uncharted territory, reviews are extremely encouraging. Cheers!


	21. Revelations

**A/N: **I definitely had fun writing this one. Allons-y!

**ooooooo**

Interwoven throughout the highest peaks of the citadel, a network of enclosed, overhanging bridges linked together the separate spires. Though the secure glass windows gave the bridges a sense of confinement quite unlike the rest of the open citadel, the view was spectacular and had Martha, Rhys, and Pete been sightseeing, they would have thoroughly enjoyed it. However, with their minds currently preoccupied, they gave the brilliant panorama very little consideration.

The slabs were marching their prisoner across the skywalk; Martha, Rhys, and Pete followed at a safe distance, hiding behind the living statues of frozen Gallifreyans to avoid exposure. Fortunately the slabs remained oblivious to their presence, suggesting a long stretch of absolute power that now made them overconfident and careless, if mindless slave drones had the capacity for care or confidence. In any case, they showed no signs of perceiving their stalkers which painfully reminded Martha of the year she snuck around with a perception filter hanging from her neck. She felt invisible.

In the adjacent spire, the slabs forced the Time Lady into another laboratory that was far bigger than it should have been: an entire football stadium could have fit inside with ample room to spare. Martha shrugged it off, reckoning a Time Lord city could have the same features as a Tardis, but Rhys and Pete hesitated, both looking somewhat dizzy. As they recovered, Martha quickly scanned the laboratory. On one side there was a terraforming device similar to the device she had seen on Messaline with a conservatory behind it, and on the other side there was an impressive hologram of stars, planets, and moons hovering in the air. The rest of the laboratory contained a variety of equipment Martha couldn't identify but assumed were related either to geology, botany, or astronomy.

Built into a pile of jagged crystals, perhaps the face of a crystal cliff, a mighty supercomputer oversaw the laboratory and its proceedings, the forgotten experiments of scientists who turned to stone. When the Time Lady was forced in front of the computer, it activated automatically and displayed the image of Harold Saxon on the screen. Martha's heart skipped several beats and she ducked behind the nearest statue, but it didn't take her long to realize the image was a mere recording and the Master couldn't actually see her from wherever he was.

"Lady President Romanadvoratrelundar." He smiled wickedly, but there was a trace of deeper malice hidden beneath his smug mockery. "I suppose this is the part where I ask about the weather on Gallifrey. Oh, wait a minute! You haven't got any more of an idea than I do, what with being frozen and all. It's been far too long, my dear Lady President. Perhaps I should pop in for a little visit. We could finish discussing our arrangement and then I could attend to some of my old friends. Or I could just terminate you all and be done with it. Always nice to keep my options open. Don't worry, Lady President. I'll grant you every opportunity to petition on Gallifrey's behalf. But first I require a second Tardis. I have transmitted the time, date, and coordinates." Six rows of numbers and random symbols appeared on the screen, overlapping Saxon's face. "I trust you will dispatch a suitable Tardis remotely and without trying my patience, Lady President. Remember the consequences of your defiance. I shall thank you in advance and bid you good day." Saxon's image dissipated, leaving behind the six rows of instructions and the one defeated Time Lady. But before she had the chance to obey, Pete Tyler leapt out from his hiding place, willingly giving away his location.

Martha slid to the floor cringing behind the statue concealing her. What the hell was Pete doing? She knew he wanted to make up for betraying Rose, however inadvertently, but this sort of reckless behavior would only get him killed! It wasn't until the slabs turned to regard the intruder that Martha noticed the blue machine in his hands. The size of a bowling ball, it had two handles on the back and a metal tube protruding from the front. When Pete activated it, bolts of lightning zapped from the tube and struck one of the slabs. The Time Lady dove to the ground as Pete fired a second shot, and then a third, furiously smiting each of the slabs one by one.

As soon as they were all incapacitated, Martha scrambled over to the Time Lady who tossed her golden hair out of her face to look up in surprise. "Are you all right?" Martha asked, gently taking her arm and helping her to her feet. She was understandably dazed, but she still nodded and since it didn't look like she'd been hit by a stray bolt, Martha knew she had cause to celebrate. Whipping her head around, Martha glared at Pete. "What the hell was that?"

"This device can manipulate the weather," Pete said squarely as Rhys crawled out from behind another statue. His face was red and streaked with sweat, but he didn't appear any more flustered than Martha. Pete alone remained perfectly composed. "Something similar to it fell through a rift in Cardiff a few months back. My scientists have been trying to utilize it to curb the spiking temperatures on Earth. They're easy to modify; I simply concentrated the electrical discharger to emit lightning on a smaller scale within the necessary parameters to deal with these thugs."

"That's brilliant," Rhys said, awestruck. Martha, on the other hand, wasn't as sure especially when the Time Lady stormed over to Pete and tore the device from his grasp.

"This isn't a weapon," she informed him, holding it up and scrutinizing it with the same intensity Martha often saw on the Doctor's face whenever he found himself cleaning up after incompetent individuals. "It's a state-of-the-art, condensed weather conductor, an accessory to our experiments on cosmological formation." She quickly adjusted the device, reverting it back to its proper setting. "Now then." She turned, glancing from Pete to Martha to Rhys. "Who are you people? How did you get here? What is the meaning of this?"

"A simple thank you would suffice," Pete said, but the Time Lady wouldn't have any of his insolence.

"Hardly," she snapped, casting a withering glare his way. "If by coming here you have angered the Master, he will take out his wrath on my people and I do not expect three misplaced humans to comprehend the sadistic cruelty we already endure even when he's not upset." She made a good point. Unlike Earth, Gallifrey had already been conquered. Earth still stood a fighting chance, but the children of Gallifrey had to submit to the Master or else he was liable to crush them. Then again, he had already turned them all to stone. How much worse could it get?

"Look, we don't mean any harm," Martha said, slipping in-between Pete and the Time Lady. It was rather disconcerting; she wasn't used to being on the receiving end of the Doctor's unfriendly tirades and this woman so resembled him. "My name's Martha. He's Pete and he's Rhys." She pointed a thumb over her shoulder and then nodded at her quieter companion, indicating who was who. "Now, I know this is going to be a bit hard to swallow, but you've got to believe me. Rhys and I are from an alternate reality where I used to travel with the Doctor in his Tardis." As expected, that caught the Time Lady's attention and she blinked several times, running a hand through her hair. "I know all about the Master," Martha continued. "I know he's dangerous, and now he's on Earth keeping one of the most important women in the entire universe prisoner. We came here looking for help because we've got to save her and find a way back to our reality, if that's even possible."

The Time Lady sighed, turning away from Martha to pace meditatively. "This is precisely what happens when you forbid the Time Lords from fulfilling their duties. Cracks through space and time widen, they can't be mended, and strangers from distant realities suffer the same consequences as the rest of us." She paused and frowned at Martha. "Most important woman in the universe? Who do you mean?"

Martha hesitated; she only said that because she knew how the Doctor felt about Rose. Then again, Rose _was _engulfed by the entire Vortex, which definitely contributed to her overall significance, though Martha wondered how she was going to explain that. However, as she was about to answer, Rhys suddenly scrambled backwards, his expression twisting into alarm. "Martha, they're getting up!"

The Time Lady spun around while Martha shoved past her to get a clear view and sure enough, the six slabs were recuperating. Four of them were already on their knees. Pete made a grab for the condensed weather conductor, but the Time Lady anticipated him and produced a sonic screwdriver from her pocket. With it, she deactivated Pete's would be weapon and threw it to the ground, yelling, "Run!" Rhys didn't have to be told twice; he sprinted back the way they had come towards the enclosed bridge with the Time Lady on his heels. Pete chased after her, demanding to know why she'd disabled the only thing they had with which to defend themselves. Meanwhile, Martha brought up the rear, occasionally glancing back to see the slabs pursuing them. They hadn't recovered completely yet and therefore weren't as fast as they should have been, but they were nevertheless gaining speed.

"Hurry!" Martha shouted when they reached the bridge. Outside, the orange sky glowed as if from a resplendent sunset and the beauty of the cityscape transcended everything Martha had ever seen before. The only marvel greater than the citadel itself was the fact it had somehow landed under slab control. She reached Rhys, who had fallen behind Pete and the Time Lady. He was out of breath, panting heavily as he fled. Martha knew he couldn't take much more of this. None of them could. She grabbed his hand, running faster and pulling him along. "Come on, you can make it!"

The first slab caught up with them and struck Martha, knocking her into Rhys and propelling them both to the ground. Rhys managed to catch Martha, breaking her fall, but in doing so they ended up tangled in each other's arms as the first slab continued after Pete and the Time Lady. Several other slabs trampled past them before they freed themselves and Martha half hoped the slabs would somehow overlook them. No such luck. As she raised her head, the last two slabs bent over her and Rhys, dragging them to their feet.

"K-9!" The Time Lady's voice echoed across the bridge and Martha, struggling against the slab's viselike grip, glanced up to see Mickey, Jake, and Toshiko charging headfirst into the fray. Where had they come from? And was that really a tin dog leading them into battle? She didn't know what she was expecting when Mickey told her about the K-9 units, but it certainly wasn't a shabby retro looking toy thing…

"Engaging maximum defense mode," the dog exclaimed in an artificial, piercing voice as it blasted a red laser from the tip of its nose. The targeted slab collapsed and Martha's eyes widened as smoke wafted up from the relatively small hole in its leathery chest. Not a toy, then. One by one, the dog blasted each of the slabs more effectively than Pete had done, sliding across the floor to gain the greatest possible vantage point. When it struck down the slabs restraining Martha and Rhys, its aim was so fine that neither felt so much as singed by the lasers. The weight of the dead slabs dragged them to the ground, but once Pete and Jake helped them clamber back to their feet, the danger had passed and no one was worse for wear.

"Good boy, K-9!" the Time Lady gasped, kneeling down next to the tin dog and rubbing her hand across its back.

"Mistress!" A moment ago the dog sounded fierce, but now it sounded affectionate and when Martha glanced at Mickey, she saw him grinning broadly. Conversely, Jake seemed agitated and Martha caught him and Pete exchanging suspicious looks.

Pete warily approached K-9 and addressed the Time Lady. "Is that a Cyber… thing?"

"Don't be absurd," the Time Lady said indignantly. Martha had been told the Cybermen originated in this reality which explained Pete and Jake's apprehension, but honestly! The Cybermen were pristine and cold while K-9 was mangy and affectionate. "What is it with you humans? You find a condensed weather conductor and see a weapon. You come across a robotic dog and see an enemy. Must everything be destructive in your eyes?" She turned her attention back to the dog. "It's all right, K-9, don't you pay that foul man any mind."

"Affirmative, mistress."

"Like I said," Mickey boasted, happier than Martha had ever seen him. Likewise the Time Lady noted his pleasant attitude, so different from Pete's, and peered up at him curiously. "Man's best friend, right there." He sheepishly met Martha's gaze. "So maybe it is a guard dog, but at least it's on our side. And I know I said there were five of 'em, but it detected danger and we couldn't just ignore that, so we didn't have the chance to activate the others."

"That doesn't matter!" Martha sprang towards Mickey, wrapping her arms around him in an immense bear hug. "Thank you! You've got impeccable timing, has anyone ever told you that?" She pulled away smiling at Mickey's embarrassment and eyed the tin dog gratefully, not too keen on snubbing her real hero. "You too K-9. I think you just saved our lives." Martha hadn't known very many robots, but considering the Cybermen, the Daleks, and the Toclafane, K-9 undoubtedly gave them a good name. Then again, the Cybermen, Daleks, and Toclafane weren't technically robots, so where did that leave them?

"Look at you all," the Time Lady said, patting K-9 once more before rising. Straightening out her pink jacket and white scarf, she examined each of the humans in turn, from Martha to Mickey, Pete to Jake, and Rhys to Toshiko. They were undeniably an unlikely group, varying from age, to race, to demeanor and the only thing they truly had in common was their mission. The Time Lady shook her head, but her expression softened. "I truly thought we were beyond salvation, but you humans… you're such a stubborn lot. Very well. If you mean to defy the Master then I will assist you, but we must hurry. He is expecting another Tardis and if we can't best him before the deadline, I fear what will become of Gallifrey."

**ooooooo**

"My name is Romanadvoratrelundar," the Time Lady said as she and K-9 led the travelers down the citadel's endless corridors. "I know it's a bit of a mouthful, as the Doctor loves to point out, so I also answer to Romana, unless of course you would rather call me Lady President. Or Fred." Her temper was clearly improving.

"Romana?" Martha asked skeptically. "But I thought the Time Lords all went by pompous titles. Doctor. Master. Granted I haven't met any others, but still…"

"The Doctor is from a generation where Time Lords could not be defined by meager names," Romana explained, glancing back at Martha with a hint of a wistful smile. "Identities were not given, they were built. The Doctor has a name, I assure you, but before he left Gallifrey he discovered himself, if you like, and our people acknowledge that. As for me and my peers; we're not quite as aloof."

"He is at that," Pete noted, leaving Martha with the impression that he didn't appreciate Time Lords swooping in and taking charge of everything. He was one of those people who distrusted aliens, not unlike Martha's mother, and if he was still offended by the contempt Romana had shown him since her rescue, Martha wouldn't be surprised. "But you're the president, aren't you? If the Doctor deserted Gallifrey, why are you so fond of him?"

"I never said he deserted Gallifrey!" Martha objected as Romana stopped short and faced Pete with a frown. Judging from her wardrobe compared to the citadel's other inhabitants', it was obvious the Time Lady admired or at least associated herself with the Doctor. She wouldn't appreciate the negative connotations of Pete's words. "I said…" Martha hesitated, trying to recall what she actually did say. "All right, I said he was overwhelmed by the enormity of time and space and that he ran away from it. But not Gallifrey. He loves Gallifrey. It's his home and he'd give his life for it."

Romana contemplated Martha's words, probably wondering how a stranger could know so much about the Doctor. Even if she was from a parallel world, how similar could two different Doctors be? "It is true," Romana said after a beat, starting back down the corridor. Martha and the others fell into step around her. "The Doctor left Gallifrey shortly after becoming a Time Lord. He sees the universe and our part in it quite distinctly from most of our people. We have the knowledge, wisdom, and authority to defend weaker species. But when you can determine the history of all time and space, how it should be and how it must not be, the weight of it quickly becomes burdensome."

"With great power comes great responsibility," Toshiko quoted, earning an appreciative glance from Romana.

"And yet," the Time Lady continued. "Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Gallifrey is no longer sovereign. We isolated ourselves, passing laws of noninterference. Too many of us were smug and complacent. Having been praised and pampered all our lives by the professors at the Academy, we detached ourselves from situations and events we considered beneath us. The universe was nothing more than a colossal classroom and we sat back to study it. We were children. It wasn't our duty to render assistance, it was our duty to watch and learn. We were inspired. Yes, we had experiments to perform, duties to fulfill, flaws to perfect, but every problem had to be worth our attention. We couldn't bother ourselves with inconsequential matters and justified our indifference by claiming neutrality. But the Doctor… Well, he wasn't what you'd call a prodigy. He didn't excel at the Academy and he certainly didn't inherit our indolence. But after gazing into the Untempered Schism… he alone understood what it meant to be a Time Lord and he couldn't sit still with that comprehension."

"He never stopped running," Martha said and Romana nodded, that wistful smile returning to her face.

"Fortunately for me, the universe was faced with one of those devastating problems that actually do warrant Gallifrey's attention," Romana said. "I was assigned to assist the Doctor in resolving it. He and I became very good friends. But after awhile, Gallifrey was in need of a new president. The Doctor himself would never run for election and besides no one would vote for him. He cares so much about his people that he expects the very best from them and has no qualms about saying so. Tragically, he is easily and often disappointed. Every time he returns to Gallifrey, there is always an uproar. I thought if I became Lady President I could change things. I could make him proud."

"So what happened?" Mickey asked, but he already knew the answer. They all did. This story could only have one ending.

"The Master," Romana said grimly. "Word is he and the Doctor used to be dear friends. They are both so much older than I am; as a child I was told stories that frightened me more than stories of the Toclafane. He was an infamous psychopath, but in days of old he and the Doctor were as close as the Doctor and I are now. And even after all this time, they understand each other better than most." Martha thought back to that day on the Valiant with Saxon dying in the Doctor's arms.

"But how did he do it?" she asked quickly, uncomfortable with the memory. Saxon had deserved to die, but did the Doctor deserve such loneliness and heartache? "How did he conquer Gallifrey? How did he turn all your people into stone?"

"Like the Doctor, the Master has more experience out in the field than most Time Lords," Romana said. "He's a genius. He knows our history and he knows the truth behind Gallifreyan mythology. Add insanity and he becomes a force with which we cannot compete. The Doctor's the only one who could ever stop him, but then not even the Doctor can win every battle. Now, according to legend, the Time Lords were founded by a benevolent ruler named Rassilon. He discovered time travel and grew the first Tardis. But the truth is Rassilon was an ambiguous character who may or may not have been as benevolent as we belief. His legacy remains on Gallifrey, not just through time travel, but also through numerous artifacts that have contributed to our image as Lords of Time. One such artifact is called the Ring of Rassilon and according to legend it grants the wearer immortality."

"But don't you already have immortality?" Mickey asked, a question that visibly shocked Pete, Jake, Rhys, and Toshiko. Martha, however, after noting how much Saxon would love everlasting life, could already detect something amiss in Romana's story. Legends and actual histories often conflicted with each other. Was Rassilon benevolent? Or was he more like the Master? Not even Romana seemed certain.

"Just how reliable are your legends anyway?" Martha asked to which Romana shrugged.

"About the same as any other culture's, I suppose," she said. "The Ring of Rassilon grants immortality, but by turning the body into stone and preserving it throughout the ages." She glanced warmly at Mickey, who looked horrified. "Everything has its time. Everything dies. Eventually, even Time Lords run out of regenerations." Obviously Romana had never met Jack. "But by granting immortality, the ring takes away life. We don't know why Rassilon designed it; he certainly couldn't use it. The Doctor theorized the ring's purpose was to trap potential dictators, but as likely as it sounds, that's still mere conjecture. In any event, the ring was kept in the Tomb of Rassilon where the Master, like a petty grave robber, managed to steal it. He studied the technology, mastered it, and somehow reversed and intensified it so that when he put it on his finger, it did not turn him into stone, but everyone else on the planet. Even the Doctor, who was on Gallifrey trying to stop him."

"What about the diadem?" Pete demanded, already looking for solutions. "You were a statue, Romana, but those leathery thugs used a diadem to free you. Can't we do the same and free everyone else?"

Romana shook her head. "That diadem is programmed specifically for my DNA. To be a true conqueror, the Master feels the need to interact on some level with his conquered subjects and since I'm the Lady President, who better to torment than me? Not the Doctor, that would be too dangerous, at least until the Master grows bored. To be perfectly honest, I'm somewhat surprised it hasn't come to that yet."

"He's found someone else to amuse him," Martha said, jogging Romana's memory. The Time Lady glanced at her thoughtfully.

"The prisoner you've got to rescue," she speculated. "The most important woman in the universe. Who is she?"

"My daughter," Pete stated, a comment that aggravated Mickey.

"Oh, so now she's your daughter?" he asked, scoffing angrily. "Time was you wanted nothing to do with her." Pete flinched and tensely faced Mickey. The entire group stopped short as the two men confronted the treachery that imprisoned Rose and isolated Mickey for nearly a year. "Said she was from a parallel world. She's not your daughter, Pete, she's the daughter of a dead man. And you let Saxon do this to her."

"Mickey, he was hypnotized," Jake whispered, reaching for Mickey's hand. "He loves Rose. We all do and we're going to make it right." Mickey grudgingly surrendered to Jake's placating words, but everyone sensed he had yet to forgive Pete. Martha understood; a year on your own, running from the Master while those you love suffered at his hands… it was hard recovering from that. For awhile, no one spoke.

"Rose Tyler," Martha finally said, turning to Romana solemnly, "is from the same alternate reality as myself, Mickey, and Rhys. She found the Doctor after…" How much information should Martha divulge? Romana had told them everything about Gallifrey in this reality; could Martha admit to her that in their reality Gallifrey was gone? "After a terrible war against the Daleks." Romana's face paled, assuring Martha she understood the implications. "Rose, I guess she helped him recover."

"They loved each other," Mickey interrupted, a bold statement that shocked Romana more so than even the Time War. "There's just no other way of looking at it. And then came the Battle of Canary Wharf. Rose got trapped in this reality. Saxon found out and now he's got her hanging in a… in a…"

"A Hadron Web," Toshiko offered.

"But it's worse than that," Martha said, worried she might overwhelm the poor Time Lady. "He forced her to absorb the Time Vortex."

"But that's not meant to happen," Romana objected, slightly panicked. "Not even the Master would…" She trailed off, her eyes widening in realization. "Unless… K-9!" Without further delay, Romana bolted down the corridor with the tin dog at her feet. Martha and Mickey started after her, both accustomed to pursuing the Doctor whenever he reached some unspeakable conclusion and took off as fast as he could. Pete, Jake, Rhys, and Toshiko, on the other hand, glanced around at each other in bewilderment, no doubt trying to determine for themselves why the Master would break the laws of time before remembering they ought to keep up with Romana. After all, Gallifrey was apparently not the sort of place where you wanted to get left behind.

**ooooooo**

**A/N: **I hope that explained things. Please review; let me know what you think. Cheers!


	22. Tri Millennium Treaty

**A/N: **Another fun chapter and this one has Rose in it! Allons-y!

**ooooooo**

"Come on, Jack, answer your bloody phone." Sitting in the patio of a café at a small round table beneath an umbrella that blocked out very little heat, Gwen glared at the Cybus Control Tower looming across the square. Morning had long since broken and white-collar workers were hustling about the street while laborers tore down sets from the previous night's festivities and constructed new sets to replace them. The entire city moved at a brisk and busy pace, leaving Gwen with a sense of urgency she couldn't suppress.

Dropping her phone back into her jacket's inside pocket, Gwen propped her elbows on the table and rested her head in her hands. She couldn't believe this. Jack wasn't answering his phone, the comms weren't working, and with Ianto still a prisoner and the rest of the team missing in action, she had never felt lonelier in her life. She was one woman against Saxon in a strange, foreign world; she was Jack's, Earth's, and perhaps the entire galaxy's last hope for freedom; and she didn't even have the option of running back to Andy for assistance. What was she supposed to do now?

Jack had ordered her to investigate the New Cybus Industries H.Q. where he believed she might find Rose. In all honesty, it never occurred to Gwen to try rescuing the girl when Jack had disappeared. She had priorities and her team came first, which was why she had wandered back to the control tower, but as of that moment as far as plans and strategies went, she was fresh out of ideas. Maybe by procuring another ally, such as Rose Tyler, she could get back on top of things and figure out how to save the day. Damn it, why had she gone to see Owen?

"You do know that thing's got a homing beacon on it, don't you gorgeous?"

Gwen jumped, looking up sharply as none other than Captain John Hart himself eased into the chair opposite her. She groaned, crossing her arms on the table. "Damn it, why didn't I _stay _with Owen?" The day had only just begun and could it possibly get any worse? She had already matched wits with Suzie Costello. Did she have to deal with John Hart now too? "What the bloody hell do you want?"

John pouted playfully. "Aren't you at all happy to see me? Here you are, sitting by your lonesome as if you've been stood up, which isn't altogether unlikely given the company you keep, and of all the bastards inhabiting the drudgery of this world, am I honestly that unattractive? Come on, now. Be fair. You could do worse than me." He nodded and winked, prompting a retort out of her.

"The only thing worse than you would be a poodle."

"Hey! I said be fair!" John actually looked offended and Gwen sighed, sinking in her chair. As much as she wanted to turn away from him, she knew better than to let him out of her sight and so she glared at him darkly. "What've you got against poodles, anyway?" he asked. "As far as I can tell, they're very appealing creatures. Haven't you ever seen a weevil? Haven't you ever seen the Judoon?" He grinned suggestively. "Hell, I'd take a weevil over one of the Judoon in a heartbeat. At least that'd be more exciting."

Abruptly, John leaned across the table and caught Gwen's hand. She tried pulling it free, but his grip tightened and he yanked her forward, nearly dragging her onto the table. She shrieked, reaching for a gun but hesitant to draw it as the café's staff and guests turned to watch. "Easy there, love," John cooed, perfectly aware of her reluctance to start a panic and obviously enjoying it. She could kill him within five seconds but she restrained herself as he expertly unfastened the wrist strap on her arm. "I told you this thing's got a homing beacon on it. Suzie planted one before sending me out to assassinate Jack. How else do you think I found you?"

Once John had the wrist strap, Gwen tore herself away and backed up from the table. People were still staring but John himself ignored her, fixing his attention on the device. He began fiddling with it and Gwen considered the likelihood he was telling the truth. If the wrist strap did have a homing beacon on it, that would explain how Suzie tracked her all the way to Cardiff. And John was smart enough to anticipate getting tagged. After Jack stunned him and stole the wrist strap in the scrap yard last night, John would know how to trace it. He certainly had the means and now, as he disabled the homing beacon, Gwen weighed her options. The wrist strap rightfully belonged to John and with it he would have an advantage. Should she try reclaiming it? Or should she just get the hell out of there?

Turning, Gwen hastened off the patio grateful that no one tried stopping her. She had ordered a coffee, not that it compared with Ianto's, but she didn't have the proper currency so payment could have been an issue. Fortunately with John there the café's staff, who didn't want any trouble, happily let her go. Maybe she had cause to thank the obnoxious git after all.

Her phone suddenly rang. Stopping short, catching her breath, Gwen reached inside her jacket pocket and checked the caller I.D. It was Martha Jones. Ecstatic, she snapped the phone open and held it to her ear. "Hello? Martha? Is that you? Where the fuck are you? Are you all right? Is Rhys there?"

"Whoa, one question at a time, Gwen."

That was definitely Martha, no doubt about it. Gwen covered her mouth, swallowing an unprofessional squeal of delight. It had been hours since Martha and Rhys vanished with those other blokes in the Tardis. She and Jack had no idea where they had gone; she had tried ringing them several times with no luck whatsoever. Hearing them now was an answer to her prayers. "Martha, put on Rhys. Put on Rhys this instant."

"He's fine, Gwen," Martha assured her. "He's right here and he's fine, but you've got to listen. I've tried ringing Jack, but he won't answer."

"He hasn't answered me either," Gwen said frustrated. She just wanted to talk to Rhys, was that too much to ask? She didn't want to contemplate the reasons why Jack wasn't answering his phone and as thrilled as she was to have finally gotten back in touch with Martha, she only wanted to hear her husband's voice. "What have you been doing, Martha? I spent god knows how long trying to ring you up last night and you're only contacting me now?"

"Sorry." Martha sounded sincerely apologetic and Gwen had to remind herself they could have easily been put through something worse than she had. For that matter, they hadn't intentionally strayed from their mission, whatever their current mission happened to be, so Gwen had no right complaining. "We had to find someone capable of boosting the signal 'cause every time we tried ringing you there was massive interference. This is the first time we've managed to get a connection."

"All right," Gwen said at a slight loss. "Who'd you find?" _Who'd they find? _What sort of absurd question was that? She needed to know where they were and what the plan was. She needed to know how they intended on getting back to Earth in the twenty-first century, not to mention their own reality. Ah, hell, she needed to concentrate.

"Romana," Martha stated. "She's a Time Lady. Actually, she's the Lady President of all Time Lords, but that's neither here nor there." Time Lords? Gwen frowned; wasn't that Jack's Doctor's race? Before she could ask, Martha carried on with her explanation, thankfully more focused than Gwen could ever hope to be. "Now listen, 'cause this is important. The girl we're looking for… Rose. She's caught in Saxon's laboratory at the Cybus Industries Headquarters, but there's nothing you can do to help her. She's very unstable. Romana suspects she's a time bomb. Saxon conquered his own home planet, his archenemy, and every other threat to his dominion, so his situation on Earth might seem a tad anticlimactic. What more could he possibly achieve? Romana's worried he'll use Rose to try ending time itself. That would make him like a god and nothing would ever be able to surpass his final action. I know it sounds daft, mad, and impossible, but we can't let him."

"Oh my god," Gwen said, gasping. If Rose was a walking time bomb, she could erupt at any moment. Jack would be furious. Gwen had seen the end of the world before and Torchwood had always managed to stop it, but this time things were different. This time it was personal… or at least personal to Jack and personal involvement always led to heartache. "How do we stop him, Martha? You stopped him back in our world, didn't you? There's got to be a way."

"There is," Martha promised. "There always is. Romana told us about this ring, it's called the Ring of Rassilon. It's got a seal on it; kind of like a Celtic Knot, but not one you've ever seen. According to Mickey, when Saxon first arrived on Earth he offered the ring to U.N.I.T. as an act of good faith or a gift or what have you. Mickey saw it placed in U.N.I.T.'s repository of alien technology. Locker five hundred. We need you to break into the locker and destroy the ring."

"And how exactly am I supposed to manage that?" Gwen demanded. Up until now she had been desperate for someone to tell her where to go and what to do, but this was preposterous. She had just broken out of the Cybus Control Tower and now she had to get back in? By herself? Without Jack and his handy sonic screwdriver?

"You'll just have to think of something," Martha said unhelpfully and since John Hart chose that moment to catch up with her, his wrist strap securely fastened to its proper place on his arm, Gwen heard nothing that followed. She looked up at the captain flustered as he leered down at her and when he tried snuggling against her to hear the other end of the phone conversation, she had to push him back. God, she desperately wanted to shoot him. She hated public places. Maybe she should find a copper and complain about harassment. Would that make her sound too much like Ianto? What if it turned John on?

"Martha," Gwen interrupted, agitated and quickly losing patience. "I'm going to have to ring you back." She severed the connection and slipped the phone back in her pocket, angrily facing John who only now had the decency to back off and respect her personal space. He met her glare innocently with only a hint of amusement. Gwen closed her eyes and felt herself deflating, knowing full well she would regret this. "So do you still want to help or have you already gotten over Jack and just want me to kill you now?"

John raised an eyebrow. "Are you asking me for help?"

"That depends on whether or not you'd even be able to help," Gwen replied, catching sight of something from the corner of her eye. She turned her head intuitively and John followed her gaze; across the square, a regal, handsome blonde whom Gwen immediately recognized as Jacqueline Tyler, Rose's mum, emerged from the control tower. Jack had identified her at the party last night up in the tower's sky lobby and as Mrs. Tyler approached a limousine, she grinned cheerfully and held out her arms to a young nanny waiting by the vehicle. The nanny was holding a baby and when Mrs. Tyler reached them, she surrendered the child to its mother. Meanwhile, the limousine's elegant chauffeur pulled open the door and Gwen grabbed John's arm. "Can you get me inside that limo?"

John glanced from the limousine to Gwen and back again before smirking and tapping his wrist strap. "Consider it done, ma chère, but what do I get in return?"

"You greedy son of a bitch," Gwen said as steadily as she could. Now was not the time to lose her temper. If she could just talk to Mrs. Tyler she might be able to convince the woman to help her. Without Saxon's signal hypnotizing the entire planet, Mrs. Tyler might listen to reason and if anyone could smuggle Gwen inside the control tower, it would definitely be her. After all, she was Pete Tyler's wife and _he _was an international hero. "Look," Gwen said. "Do you or do you not want to help Jack and Ianto?"

A terrible expression crossed John's face. It was a sly combination of excitement, anticipation, cruelty, and domination. "Oh, you've no idea." Gwen groaned. Somehow she just knew she'd regret this.

**ooooooo**

Wearily, Rose Tyler opened her eyes and lifted her head; she had been lying on her back in what appeared to be a shadowy cellar. There was heavy breathing all around her and when her vision finally came into focus she recognized one of the Cybus Control Tower's interrogation rooms. It had been cleared of its table and chairs and was now holding prisoners. She was just one of seven, fortunately all human, or rather humanoid, and as she stirred they turned to watch. They looked sickly, malnourished, even abused. Some were covered in bruises while others had cuts all over their arms and faces. Rose whimpered; surely U.N.I.T. didn't torture their prisoners? Or were they victims? Did they belong here anymore than Rose did herself?

"Rose?" A man with a familiar American accent knelt down next to her and as he helped her upright she met his gaze with a frown. She'd seen him somewhere before; she knew his face. He was concerned about her, but something was off. He didn't feel authentic, like he wasn't who he was supposed to be. "Rose, it's me. It's Jack. You're all right, everything's going to be all right, I promise."

"Jack?" Rose asked trembling as another, younger man knelt down on her other side. She didn't recognize him but he still regarded her with care and compassion not unlike Jack's. Jack's? Captain Jack Harkness. Slowly, memories unfolded before her. She looked away from Jack and the young stranger, staring off into space as she remembered Torchwood, her father, her brother's birth, all the aliens she encountered, Captain Jack Harkness and his partner John Hart, their treachery, her despair, and finally Harold Saxon. It seemed so long ago. She closed her eyes and she could see this golden light. Echoes of an ancient song were fading in the distance; she thought she could hear a wolf howling. "Was I dreaming?" It all felt so familiar… such nostalgia.

"Couldn't tell you," Jack said, gently turning her face towards his. "How much do you remember?" Rose stared at him blankly. She thought she'd known him, but he'd betrayed her. He took advantage of her trust. He used her to steal from Torchwood. His partner nearly killed Mickey. Oh god, Mickey. Was he all right? Rose remembered Saxon, a Time Lord, but not the Doctor no matter what he said. He had captured her, well actually she let him capture her so Mickey could escape. But then he hooked her up to this metal web; she could still feel the sharp, excruciating rods impaling her body.

"Rose?" Jack asked as she found it increasingly difficult to breathe. Momentarily paranoid, she checked herself up and down for scars, blood, open wounds, or anything else that might signify permanent damage. But no; her trainers still looked brand new, her jeans were a bit faded, and her pink T-shirt was in perfect condition. Her arms weren't maimed and the only abnormality she could detect was the length of her hair. It was two or three inches longer than it should have been. Jack was right, she did look fine, not at all hurt, at least physically. Calming down, she met his gaze and he smiled encouragingly. "Better?"

"I don't know," she answered honestly, breathing deeply in and out. After Saxon trapped her in that metal web, he had pulled a panel off the console of his Tardis. He was definitely a Time Lord; she had been inside his Tardis. But he still wasn't the Doctor; he had forced her to absorb the Time Vortex. The Doctor would _never_ put her through that. It was the last thing she remembered before she was consumed by the light of a thousand stars. "How did I get here? And what are we doing in an interrogation room?"

"Well…" Jack hesitated. Rose glanced at him apprehensively and perceived his reluctance. He was hiding something from her. "We would be in the prison vaults, but there was this… mass breakout last night and the cells were all destroyed. I'm fairly certain the entire criminal populace has been divided amongst each of the interrogation rooms, where they'll be detained until more permanent arrangements are made." Quickly changing subjects, Jack reached over Rose and affectionately patted the younger man's shoulder. "Have I introduced my brother yet? Rose, this is Gray. Gray, meet the lovely Rose Tyler."

Rose looked at the man who must have been at least two or three years older than her, but who nevertheless flushed in a manner that did not resemble Jack Harkness. "Hello," he said shyly, which blatantly amused Jack. He attempted to ruffle Gray's hair, but the boy dodged the offensive hand. Unhappily, while this display of brotherly love might have ordinarily lightened Rose's mood, at that particular moment she found it irksome and she shook her head, maneuvering her way out from between the two.

Climbing weakly to her feet, ignoring Jack and Gray's offers to help, Rose crept to the room's steel door. The other prisoners backed away from her, giving her ample breathing space as she examined the barrier shutting them in. It didn't have a window, it didn't have a peephole, it didn't have a handle or even hinges. It probably slid open like the door to an elevator and was locked on the inside. Rose banged on it halfheartedly before turning around and looking back at her companions bleakly. The situation was hardly promising.

It was only then that Rose noticed the body lying in the corner of the room with its face turned to the wall. She froze, staring at it… or rather him… in shock. Somehow she knew him. It wasn't possible, it couldn't be true, but a part of her believed without a single doubt. "Jack?" As the conscious Jack and his brother stood up nervously, or perhaps sympathetically, Rose scrambled over to the neglected prisoner. "Jack?" She collapsed at his side, rolling him over and staring at his face.

"You were both brought in together," the conscious Jack said from behind her as she felt the real Jack's neck for a pulse. The real Jack… _her _Jack from _her _world. He had traveled in the Tardis with her and the Doctor such a long time ago. It felt like… like someone else's life, but it wasn't. It was _her _life and this Jack was a part of it. They had fought the Daleks together. He was willing to die for her, a thought that brought tears to her eyes. She wanted him alive; she needed him to live. For some reason she couldn't explain, it was vital that Jack lived. Why was he so cold? "I'm sorry, Rose," the other Jack said. "He didn't make it. We were told he couldn't… but that's not the point. He was trying to save you. You and his boyfriend. He gave his life fighting your enemies and trust me he wouldn't have wanted it any other way."

"But he can't!" Rose's vision blurred as tears filled her eyes. She leaned over Jack's body, wrapping one arm around the back of his head and caressing his face with her other hand. She felt herself shaking; this couldn't be happening. Jack was from her world. Somehow he had made it through the Void, which meant he knew how to get back. Right? Which meant he could take her home. He could take her to the Doctor. But even if he couldn't, even if he was trapped here as permanently as she was, at least he knew her. At least he understood the way she felt. "Jack, you've got to wake up, you've got to live. You can't just leave me like this; you can't just show up in Pete's World and then die without even saying hello first. You can't leave me here. Damn it, Jack, wake up!" By that point she was yelling, pounding her fist against his chest.

"Rose, stop it," the other Jack said, the Jack that belonged in Pete's World. He was coming up behind her. Rose braced herself but couldn't resist him when he pulled her away from Jack's body. "There's nothing you can do. You have to let him go."

"Get off me!" Rose struggled to break away, but Jack refused to loosen his hold. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close; when Rose realized he wasn't going to unhand her she collapsed into a heap of sobs, hating herself for it. "But you don't understand. It's not fair."

"I know," Jack said, kissing her on the forehead. "I know." The door to the interrogation room abruptly slid open and three Time Agents stepped inside along with two U.N.I.T. guards Rose had never seen before. Pulling away from Jack she wiped her eyes dry while Gray practically jumped to attention. One of the Time Agents saw the boy and walked over to him, kissing him on the lips. Jack bristled while the other two Time Agents chuckled. Rose herself was disgusted; the kiss had no warmth in it and when the offender pulled back, he shot Jack a smug leer. Meanwhile Gray blushed furiously and glanced at Rose in embarrassment. She shook her head, turning away and crossing her arms.

"You've had your fun now, Jack," the offensive Time Agent informed the renegade captain. "But we really must get you back to the fifty-first century before you cause anymore trouble. Mr. Saxon's willing to pardon you for your antics earlier, but only if you come with us and believe me when I say you won't get a better deal than that. If you know what's good for you, you'll do exactly as we say."

Rose glanced back over her shoulder and saw Jack looking at her. Something in his expression touched her; it wasn't helplessness or despair, but more like regret. Did he regret betraying her all those months ago? Did he regret having to leave her now, alone with the body of the Jack she knew and cared so much about? Or did he simply regret not having someone to cry for him as she was crying for his double? Whatever it was, she had never seen this version of Jack look so genuinely repentant. She sighed, glancing at the offensive Time Agent and picturing Saxon in her mind. Who was worse? "You should go with them, Jack," she said decisively. "Get away from Saxon while you still can."

The three Time Agents and Gray all glanced at her in surprise while Jack himself smiled sadly. "You sound like him," he told her, nodding at her Jack's body. "He died fighting for you and Ianto, Rose. And I'm starting to think he had a just cause. The least I can do is make sure his death wasn't in vain."

"Jack," Gray said warningly, but when Rose glanced at him he shamefully averted his eyes. The other Time Agents began reaching for their weapons while the U.N.I.T. guards stood cautiously, ready for a brawl. Jack slid in between them and Rose like a chivalrous knight defending his lady and Rose, no matter how upset she was, couldn't condone that. She was the defender of the Earth. She had stood her ground against an army of Daleks. She wasn't afraid of three measly Time Agents and she certainly wasn't going to sit back and watch when the Doctor had taught her not to give up, not to ever give up, even when the odds were against her. She would make him proud.

Shoving Jack aside, Rose walked directly up to the offensive Time Agent and met his gaze intently. "You go back to the fifty-first century and you can tell your supervisors why the world they know is crumbling apart, falling to pieces, ceasing to exist. There's a monster here, in 2011… It is 2011, isn't it? Anyway, he knows how to devastate timelines and believe me he's not going to stop until everything is dust and ash. He's even here. In this building. Right now. So you lot can return to the future and try repairing the damage or you can stay here and do your jobs as Time Agents. Take preventative measures. Help us fight Harold Saxon. He's a time traveler, same as you, but he's not even from Earth. According to Article Four of the Tri-Millennium Treaty, which was compromised between myself and your General Jonas Hahn, we have a duty to assist each other against threats of this nature."

The Time Agent looked taken aback and he nervously glanced around at his cohorts, no doubt hoping one of them would take command and remove him from center stage, but no such luck. The remaining Time Agents were unmistakably intimidated and even the U.N.I.T. guards seemed unsure of themselves. It wasn't everyday their prisoners recited specific terms of classified treaties they claimed to have written. The mere fact that Rose knew General Hahn's name heightened her credibility and the Time Agents didn't want to risk disappointing their leader.

Warily, the offender regarded Rose. "Excuse me, miss, but… who exactly are you?"

"Rose Tyler," said a smug and distinctly American voice that did not originate directly behind the young woman. It did not come from the renegade captain of this reality. As Rose turned her head, feeling a surge of disbelief, joy, and amazement the likes of which she hadn't experienced since losing the Doctor, she watched the dead corpse of a man she once traveled with rise up from the ground, very much alive and grinning broadly. "Now if I were you, I'd pay attention and take her advice. She knows what she's talking about. Believe me, she was taught by the best."

**ooooooo**

**A/N:** Please review. I'm craving reviews. Don't deprive me. Cheers!


	23. Battle Zeppelin

**A/N: **All I can say about the length of time it took Jack to recover in the last chapter is that he was killed by the Time Vortex, which had to be traumatic. At least he wasn't dead for a whole week or whatever, like when he killed Abaddon in 'End of Days.' Thanks for the reviews and do enjoy this chapter. Allons-y!

**ooooooo**

Shareen Sullivan absolutely loved working for the Tyler family, riding around in limousines, babysitting Tony in a fancy mansion or up in a proper zeppelin while Jackie managed her household and navigated around her husband's social circles. With Pete often out on business and Rose far away negotiating interplanetary treaties, Shareen found herself working more and more often with Tony and his mum, a fact she scarcely complained about. The Tylers were paying her a fortune; Jackie wasn't the witch who treated her staff with contempt as the rumors suggested; and Rose, who first offered Shareen the job after appearing in her life from out of nowhere, was like the sister Shareen never had. It was all indescribably fantastic.

Presently sitting in Pete Tyler's spacey limousine, Shareen gulped down her Vitex energy drink while Jackie bottle-fed Tony all the while chattering about the previous night's festivities. If one thing could be said about Jackie, she sure loved to gossip and Shareen listened attentively as she described her conversation with Harriet Jones, the bloody president. Was there anyone Jackie didn't know? "Would you believe she fancies General Sanchez, of all people? I've never met such a stiff in my life. Whoever heard of an unmarried president, a spinster if you like, fancying a Lieutenant-General?"

But before Shareen could comment, the limo's passenger's compartment was encroached by a loud pop and brilliant flash of light. On the seat across from her, two figures emerged seemingly from thin air; a man wearing a shoddy French uniform that belonged in a museum and a pretty brunette who regarded her companion in disdain. Shareen shrieked while Jackie looked like she nearly had a heart attack. Fortunately, Tony kept sucking on his bottle, oblivious to the precarious situation. Shareen, who constantly reminded herself anything was possible especially around the Tyler family, wondered if the boy would grow up unafraid of the extraordinary galactic secrets that were slowly revealing themselves to Earth.

Jackie recovered with shocking rapidity and before either of the two strangers could get a word in, she began ranting like the dragon she was beneath all that make-up and jewelry. "Just who the hell are you people and what do you think you're doing in my limousine? This is my limousine! You can't just pop in here uninvited like two bloody apparitions. That's rude, that is. And if this is some sort of kidnapping, if this is your way of getting to my family, or even a roundabout way of getting to the entire planet, you'd best go elsewhere and try your luck with some other woman 'cause you've no idea what you're getting yourselves into."

Shareen couldn't help but smile and she peered at the strangers in anticipation, eager to see their reactions. Jackie might not view her staff dismissively, she might not be the self-centered snob people said she was, but when angered she could still blow a fuse. The Frenchman and the brunette glanced at each other, the former smirking and the latter visibly perplexed. Whatever they were expecting, Jackie wasn't it, but to prove they still had a handle on the situation the Frenchman drew a gun from a side holster and aimed it at the mother.

Shareen screamed and even the brunette fell back from her companion in surprise and displeasure. "We're not here to shoot them you arse. They're on our side." Shareen covered her mouth, forcing herself to calm down. She had never been held at gunpoint before, but she had to stay alert for Tony's sake. If she could just lower the soundproof wall separating the passenger's compartment from the driver's compartment, she could warn the chauffeur or something.

"I think," the Frenchman told Jackie with an unmistakably British accent. "You should shut up and listen to what Gwen has to say." He eyed the brunette uncertainly. "It is Gwen, isn't it? You know, I really do prefer Drop Dead Gorgeous." The brunette opened her mouth to respond, but Jackie beat her to the punch, pressing a button on her armrest. Within seconds a panel lowered from the ceiling much like a ramp and a large, futuristic cannon slid out, aiming itself directly at the gunslinger.

"I think," Jackie said sternly as the two strangers eyed the cannon apprehensively, the brunette with a hint of approval. "You should shut up and give me one good reason not to have you blown to smithereens." The man huffed, returning his gun to its holster while the brunette stifled a laugh. She looked back at Jackie and leaned forward.

"I've got one," she assured the woman. "Your daughter… Rose… she's in trouble, her life's in danger, and I need your help to save the universe."

**ooooooo**

Jack didn't know how long he held Rose in his arms. She had thrown herself at him within seconds of his resurrection while everyone else in the cell watched with mixtures of shock, appreciation, and embarrassment. For some reason Gray looked on in envy. The Time Agents whispered amongst themselves, deliberating and probably asking why there were still two Jack Harknesses. Suzie's shape shifter explanation was clearly out the window. Meanwhile, even the U.N.I.T. guards were beside themselves with agitation. More than likely they had dragged Jack's lifeless corpse into this chamber and no matter where you lived or what generation it was, the dead weren't supposed to return to life.

"I thought I lost you," Rose finally said, pulling back and gazing up at Jack with tear-filled eyes and a joyful smile. She was so different from how he remembered her; mainly she wasn't a nineteen year old enthusiastic explorer who loved to laugh and dance. She had grown up, she had suffered terrible loss and heartache, and she had absorbed the Time Vortex not just once, but twice and it had an affect on her. Jack himself couldn't recall anything he had seen or heard after extracting the Vortex from Rose, which hopefully meant she couldn't either, but she was still changed by it in a way he couldn't define. The Bad Wolf still lingered.

"What are you doing here?" Rose asked, confirming Jack's suspicions. "How'd you even get here? Can you get back? Can you take me with you?" She didn't remember dragging Torchwood through the Void, crying out for help. She didn't realize she was the reason Jack had come all the way to Pete's World or that he was the reason she wasn't still caught in the Master's web. Consequently, Rose must have also been unaware of Jack's immortality. She wouldn't remember bringing him back to life on Satellite Five and if the Doctor kept it from her, that would explain her astonishment right now, seeing him back from the dead. Here she was, the source of Jack's everlasting life and she didn't even know. How could he explain what she did to him? Would she understand the implications? And how could he put her through that?

"Jack?" Rose asked uncertainly. He had been too quiet for too long, gazing at her with a forlorn expression that might suggest more bad news and how much more of that could she take? "Jack, if you… if you can't get back, you can tell me. I'll understand." She was bracing herself for the worst, for more disappointment, so Jack leaned in and stared directly into her eyes.

"Rose Tyler, I will get you back to the Doctor." He smiled playfully. "But I'll have you know I'm only doing it for him. He needs you, Rose, I think more than he's ever needed anyone." Somehow Jack knew those were the right words, the words she needed to hear. After all, if he was her place, those were the words he would want to hear and sure enough they brought fresh tears to her eyes. She was trying very hard not to laugh or cry, a task she found difficult.

Meanwhile, Gray watched the two of them carefully, biting his lip. "So how does it work?" he interrupted, asking the question Jack knew they were all contemplating; the Time Agents, the U.N.I.T. guards, the other prisoners, and particularly Jack's double, Captain Harkness. Even Rose looked up at him curiously. "How can a dead man come back to life? The fellow upstairs, Mr. Saxon is it? He said you crept out of an intergalactic circus. What are you, some sort of show freak?"

Rose heard the scorn in Gray's voice and glared at him. "Don't say that." Once again Gray flushed and muttered a quick apology, leading Jack to the conclusion that he fancied Rose. He was actually jealous. He might be from the fifty-first century, but he was still just a Cadet so he had only left the Boeshane Peninsula recently. Moving from the Boeshane Peninsula to the Time Agency was like moving from the country to the city and Gray still had a lot to learn.

Jack forced a grin, beaming at the small assemblage. "It just so happens the universe is filled to the brim with mysteries and wonders that can't be explained. Guess I'm one of them." He reached for Rose's hand and she nodded, giving it a comforting squeeze. "I didn't come here alone," he told her. "There are people out there, friends of mine, even Mickey." Rose's face lit up at the mention of her longtime friend, but Jack held up a finger. "I don't know where they are. We got separated, Rose, but if we can find them they'll do everything they can to help us."

"Right," Rose said, facing the Time Agents and U.N.I.T. guards. "You men. Are you going to help us or what?" They were painstakingly reluctant to respond, but on the bright side they sure as hell didn't refuse.

**ooooooo**

The surveillance cameras hidden in the interrogation room where the Master had dumped the Freak's body dutifully recorded the entire scene as it played out. The Master, who was monitoring the room, waiting for the Freak's revival so he could torture him before putting him to permanent waste, witnessed Rose take command of her negligent, incompetent guards. Humans. The Master hated them. Why must they be so difficult to control? Without the transmitter hypnotizing them, they reverted back into foolish, unpredictable apes and the unpredictability made them harder to manipulate than the Master's own species and he was a Time Lord.

Disgusted, the Master abandoned his personal surveillance room and marched through his flat to the dining room, where the slabs sat around the table guarding Ianto. "Get up to the tower's landing deck," he ordered them sharply. "Prepare a battle zeppelin. Kill anyone who gets in your way." The slabs rose in unison, unquestioningly obedient. As they filed past him, he commanded two to remain behind and his gaze shifted over to Ianto, the only consolation he had left. Ever since arriving in this world, the Freak and his little friends had been pilfering what rightfully belonged to him. It was unacceptable and the Master would not allow it to continue. He would not lose Ianto.

Crossing over to the virtual reality system in which Ianto was trapped, the Master powered down the simulator and removed the headset. It took the boy a moment to adjust; he was sweating, shaking, and glancing around the dining room in confusion as if he had just woken from a nightmare. The nightmare, however, was hardly over and when Ianto focused on the Master, his expression darkened. He pulled on the straps that fastened him to the chair and tried protesting through his gag. Evidently the virtual reality's simulation had given him some of his spirit back.

The Master slapped Ianto hard across the face, so hard it stung the palm of his hand, but he didn't pause to recover. He was running out of time and his need for aggression hadn't quelled since losing the Bad Wolf. Coupled together, those two details left him one choice. He reached for Ianto's head, gripping it tightly with his hands. The familiar predicament terrified Ianto; his eyes widened and he struggled fruitlessly as the Master met his gaze. But instead of forcing his way into Ianto's mind, instead of intruding and openly exploring, the Master settled for a more traditional means of domination. Hypnotism was not as intimate or thrilling as telepathy, but it could still be useful in a pinch. The Master forced his will on Ianto, smothering him with all the strength, all the force he dared to use. It drained him, more so than usual, but the Master didn't want to take any chances with Ianto. He would release the boy as soon as they were on the zeppelin, but until then he had to ensure Ianto's cooperation.

"I am the Master," he said cruelly, watching Ianto's eyes cloud over. "And you will obey me."

Satisfied, the Master pulled off Ianto's gag and unfastened the leather straps around his wrists, waist, and ankles. When Ianto didn't try running, he knew the hypnotism was successful and promptly kissed him on the lips. It wasn't even necessary to verbalize his commands; just by willing it mentally, the Master urged Ianto to kiss him back. They pressed against each other, sharing a moment of the Master's heated passion before he remembered their need to depart. He could finish with Ianto later, once those meddling humans had been taken care of once and for all.

Pulling back from his toy, the Master procured a pair of handcuffs and quickly shackled his left wrist to Ianto's right wrist. Nothing was going to separate them. "Might as well get used to each other's company." He nodded at the two remaining slabs who immediately turned on their heels and started back out of the dining room. The Master followed them with Ianto walking submissively at his side.

**ooooooo**

"Mrs. Tyler," the Cybus Control Tower's receptionist welcomed Jackie with a nervous smile as she stormed up to the front desk clearly irate. "May I help you? Did you forget something on the sky lobby?" At Jackie's side, Shareen carried little Tony while behind them the security officers were having a field day disarming John Hart and Gwen Cooper. It wasn't something the receptionist was used to witnessing.

"I'd like to rent a room," Jackie informed the receptionist as pleasantly as possible. "Preferably close to the alien embassy. I intend to set up an appointment to meet with some of the ambassadors. If at all possible I'd like to hitch a ride into space to whichever planet my daughter's on. It's about time she and I had a visit, you see." The receptionist nodded, her gaze straying to the spectacle behind the woman. Jackie rolled her eyes and glanced over her shoulder. If she didn't know any better, she'd say John Hart was trying to flirt with one of the security officers while Gwen argued with the lot of them. "Oi!" Jackie shouted. "Those are my new bodyguards! You men show them the courtesy they deserve or I'll have your jobs!" It was a threat the security officers took seriously and they stood aside, allowing John and Gwen entry. Jackie smirked; being rich, famous, and powerful certainly had its advantages.

The receptionist typed in her computer for a good two minutes before smiling up at Jackie to ask for a credit card. As soon as the transaction was complete, Jackie, Shareen, Tony, Gwen, and John were led to an elevator that would carry them up to a set of rooms on the one hundred and ninth floor. And if Jackie needed anything, whether it was a meal or a trip to the shopping center, the receptionist implored her to phone. "We're here to make your stay as comfortable as possible, Mrs. Tyler, so please don't hesitate to phone."

"Royal treatment," Gwen noted once they were safely in the elevator. "Must be nice." Jackie glared at her; she was never able to understand how people could have laughs in situations like these. Her daughter was in danger and until now no one had even bothered telling her and Jackie was furious. Gwen noticed and, looking properly abashed, turned to John. "We need to get to the building's repository of alien tech. Can you handle that?"

He smirked. "What sort of criminal do you think I am? A novice? That'll be easy, but…" John gave the first indication he was actually human beneath all those layers of amoral pretences and gestured at Shareen and Tony. "Should they really be tagging along?" Gwen seemed to appreciate the inquiry and for once agreed with him, but Jackie nearly slapped his face.

"My entire family is crumbling to pieces and you expect me to let Tony out of my sight?" she scoffed. "No. When we find whoever the hell is hurting my daughter, I'm going to bash his face in, but I can't exactly do that if I'm the one holding a child, now can I?" Shareen looked uncomfortable, but she loyally stuck with Jackie, every bit as concerned for Rose as was her employer. Gwen shook her head obviously meaning to object, but she was silenced by a siren that started wailing loudly overhead. Tony immediately screamed, a sound that made John cringe, his hackles rising.

"What's the bloody hell's that for?" Gwen asked, though it went without saying that whatever the alarm was, it didn't bode well for any of them.

**ooooooo**

"Okay… What's that?" Jack asked as he and Rose, hand in hand, led the Time Agents, U.N.I.T. soldiers, Captain Harkness, and Gray up the building's corridors. They all stopped short, staring at the flashing, blaring sirens fixed to the ceiling. Damn; somehow Jack just knew this was going to be a snag. They had decided to meet with Colonel Mace; after all Rose was personally acquainted with him and knew he would listen to what she had to say. But now there were alarms going off and Jack, even though he preferred a good fight over diplomacy, could not believe his luck.

"Someone's trying to steal one of the battle zeppelins," Rose said grimly, glancing over her shoulder at the U.N.I.T. soldiers. "Am I right?" They didn't respond, they were too busy handling what looked like laser guns. After clicking off the weapons' safety mechanisms, they broke past Jack and Rose, charging down the corridor. Rose nodded, unsurprised. "I'll take that as a yes."

Jack stared at her. "Battle zeppelin?" He sounded a bit slow, but he wasn't from this reality and zeppelins were nowhere near as common back home.

Rose kept nodding. "This building serves as a control tower, but it's really a U.N.I.T. military base and we've got plenty of battle zeppelins. They're equipped with powerful defenses and all the latest weaponry. Force fields. Missiles. They've even got enhanced speed and maneuverability. Jack." She looked at him intently, an expression that reminded him of the Doctor. "We have to get to the landing deck. If Saxon captures a battle zeppelin…"

"Yeah, that would be bad," Jack agreed. He started running after the U.N.I.T. soldiers with Rose's hand still caught in his. They sprinted down the corridor, easily outdistancing the Time Agents. All around them doors slid open while more and more soldiers appeared with their weapons ready, a fact Jack found encouraging. Even if he did tend to view U.N.I.T. as an incompetence taskforce, he was ready to see this a sign that Saxon was stumbling, losing control, hopefully backing up against a wall.

The entire building shook as an explosion thundered above them. Rose staggered but Jack instantly caught her, helping her regain her balance. They kept moving, pushing their way through a mass of soldiers until they reached an open elevator that had room to spare. "We're going up," Jack said authoritatively, cramming inside along with Rose. "Torchwood," he informed the soldiers who were kind enough not to argue. Smiling, Jack wrapped an arm around Rose, pulling her close ostensibly to make room for more soldiers. "The last time I saw you, Rose Tyler, we were up against an army of Daleks and now here we are combating the Master. It certainly feels like old times. I honestly don't know which is worse."

"You left us, Jack," Rose interrupted, speaking quietly and glancing down. It wasn't an accusation, but Jack still felt a pang of regret in his heart. Rose meant the world to him, but there was still so much he feared telling her. "You never even said goodbye. The Doctor told me you were busy rebuilding the Earth and I get it, that's important, but I also got the impression you didn't have time for us." She looked back up at him and he turned his head, unable to meet her gaze. "The Doctor sent me back home. Did something happen between you two while I was away? Why did you leave us, Jack?"

Was he supposed to tell her that by returning to Satellite Five as the Bad Wolf, that by bringing him back to life, Rose had unwittingly made him wrong? A freak the Doctor wanted nothing to do with? Was he supposed to tell her that he would never have left them? He'd been abandoned by the Doctor. Practically forgotten. Should he tell her how he waited over a hundred years for the chance to see her again, her and the Doctor, the closest and dearest friends he had ever hoped for? "It wasn't my call," he eventually said, looking back at her. "You went through something traumatic, Rose, and so did the Doctor. The decision was his to make and whether you like it or not, you always got to do what the Doctor says, right?"

Rose looked doubtful but at that moment the elevator jolted to a stop. The doors slid open and the soldiers poured out onto the landing deck. It was one of those beautiful days with a clear blue sky that seemed inordinately close to the building. On the far side of the roof, one of the two visible zeppelins burned like a fiery demon, which explained the explosion. Meanwhile, the other zeppelin was powering up its engines. The soldiers attempted to move in, but it soon became evident someone had fashioned a force field around the zeppelin, giving it a wide parameter no one could breach.

The soldiers were all issuing out commands. A few meters to Jack's right, Colonel Mace stood pointing at the zeppelin, barking orders and insults by the dozen. He was wasting his breath. The force field was impenetrable; when Jack and Rose pushed and shoved their way through U.N.I.T.'s feeble troops, inching as close to the energy barrier as they could without getting fried, they both reckoned it originated from an extrapolator. It was advanced technology no one in U.N.I.T. could possibly understand.

On the other side of the force field, Jack spotted two leather clad slabs watching the soldiers from behind their black visors, waiting to defend their position in the unlikely event that the shield should collapse. Behind them, two men were climbing up the stairs to the zeppelin. Jack recognized them immediately; Saxon and Ianto. They were handcuffed together and for some reason Ianto wasn't fighting back.

"Oh my god," Rose said as realization struck her. "We can't stop him, Jack. He's gonna make it."

"No," Jack whispered feeling strangely nauseas. Ianto had escaped. They made it safely out of the tower last night, but then… Jack had compromised himself when he absorbed the Time Vortex. By saving Rose, he sacrificed his own life, leaving Ianto defenseless. Saxon recaptured him and now they were getting onboard that zeppelin together. Ianto wasn't resisting at all. Why? Had he given up? Jack didn't understand, but the boundless possibilities made him panic. Dropping Rose's hand, he leapt toward the force field, determined to break past it. "IANTO!"

"Jack!" Rose shouted, coming up behind him. Fortunately, one of the soldiers grabbed her and held her back; the force field was by far too dangerous for her. The energy was making Jack's skin crack; he felt like he was on fire and no matter how hard he pushed forward, the barrier would not admit him. He was swimming in place, unable to advance but refusing to retreat.

Saxon must have noticed the commotion Jack made. He paused on the staircase, glancing over his shoulder while Ianto, who was one step behind him, waited patiently. Jack swore as Saxon caught sight of him and grinned in a manner Jack found all too familiar. It was the grin Saxon had worn back in his reality during the year that never was whenever he thought up new and imaginative ways of tormenting his prisoners. Jack had never wanted to see that grin again, especially now with Ianto at Saxon's mercy. Damn it, Ianto had trusted him! How could he have let this happen? Why the hell did it have to be Ianto?

Saxon and Ianto were cuffed together, standing on the staircase beneath a belligerent zeppelin. As Jack watched helplessly, Saxon faced his captive and glanced down at him with a sick, twisted look of fondness. With his free hand, Saxon caressed Ianto's face and then kissed him for Jack's benefit. Jack roared in fury, rage unlike anything he'd ever felt before burning him alive, consuming him from the inside out. And the damn force field still held him back.

When Saxon broke the kiss, he shot Jack a triumphant leer before starting back up the staircase with Ianto behind him. They disappeared into the zeppelin, the staircase rising up after them, shutting them inside. Slowly, the zeppelin pulled away from the landing deck and finally the force field collapsed. Jack fell forward, landing heavily on his hands and knees. As the soldiers began shooting at the zeppelin, Rose scrambled to Jack's side, frightened beyond measure. They both glanced up to watch as the zeppelin's personal defenses sheltered it from the bullets and laser beams. Undamaged, it gained altitude and slowly soared away from the control tower.

"Hold you fire!" Colonel Mace shouted and the soldiers lowered their weapons. Jack took that opportunity to clamber to his feet. He ran all the way to the edge of the roof with Rose at his side. They were thousands of feet in the air, on top of the tallest building in London and it still wasn't enough. Ianto was still out of reach. In the Master's possession.

"No," Jack shook his head, trembling, defeated, and completely out of breath. He found himself leaning against Rose for support as they beheld the zeppelin flying towards the sun.

**ooooooo**

**A/N: **Talk about an eventful chapter. I'm going to need some reviews now, desperately. Cheers!


	24. Final Offer

**A/N: **Sorry for the delay. My sister and I just moved into a new apartment for school and we're still trying to get organized, but anyway, here's the next chapter and I hope it's enjoyable. Allons-y!

**ooooooo**

The Master chuckled as he hurried through the zeppelin's narrow corridors, pulling Ianto along with him. Perhaps hypnotism wasn't as archaic as he thought. As a means of toying with Ianto it might not have been as pleasurable as telepathy, but as a means of toying with Ianto's friends it was incredibly satisfying. The look on the Freak's face when Ianto allowed the Master to kiss him had been priceless. And the thought of the Freak watching helplessly as Ianto willingly boarded the zeppelin alongside the Master sent fresh waves of power coursing through his veins. It almost made up for losing the Bad Wolf.

Entering the zeppelin's massive cockpit, the Master found a handful of slabs operating the controls with one handling the wheel. Outside several more zeppelins hovered above the city, but by the time the Master and Ianto approached the front window, they had already detected the larger U.N.I.T. vessel and were prudently descending away from it. As the Master watched, the sky cleared in every direction and his path to conquest unfolded before him without an obstacle in sight. His anger and frustration mutated into anticipation and hunger. He craved destruction.

This was no time for Ianto's eyes to be glazed over; the Master wanted him to witness it, to react to it, and to suffer from it. Unable to contain his excitement, the Master fiddled clumsily with the key, anxious to unlock the cuff from his own wrist. When he finally managed to free himself, he forced Ianto's arms behind his back and shackled them together as tightly as he could. "You!" the Master shouted at one of the slabs who turned attentively. "Hold him!" He shoved Ianto at the leather drone. As soon as it had a solid grip on Ianto's arms, the Master severed the mental link between them.

Ianto gasped, doubling over as he regained awareness and control of his body. The slab forced him upright and he glanced around the cockpit in confusion. "Where…?" He stopped when he saw the Master; he shrank back and struggled when the slab pitched him forward again. "Get off me!" Ianto tried wrenching away but his squirming got him nowhere and the Master, aroused, moved in.

"You should rejoice, Ianto," the Master cooed leaning against him, pressing one hand against his face and the other against his heart. He whispered into Ianto's ear. "The Master of all has seen fit to devastate this planet, to end the human race, but you, Ianto, you have been chosen to survive. You alone do I favor. And under my protection you shall face the full extent of my infinite empire." He turned away from his pet and danced around the cockpit. "Prepare the missiles. Turn this zeppelin back around. It's about time we blow the Cybus Control Tower from existence." Romanadvoratrelundar was scheduled to send him another Tardis by noon, but even if it arrived before the missiles were launched, the craft would easily survive the explosion. The Master needed only to salvage it from the wreckage and then he would attach the Tardis to the Rift in Cardiff, not unlike a tether, and tow the Earth into the sun. Nothing could stop him.

"You're never going to get away this," Ianto said, his voice reverberating with hatred and defiance. The Master whirled towards him gleefully, pleased by his expression. Ianto's passion, his emotions, his anger, fear, and even his love for the Freak made him the perfect toy. He had so much in him for the Master to play with; there was so much the Master could do to hurt him and he could hardly wait. Honestly, there was nothing more endearing than Ianto's loyalty and blind faith in his noble captain. "Jack will kill you for this."

"Yes, that Freak of yours is without a doubt the likeliest candidate," the Master permitted as the zeppelin turned smoothly back around. "Somehow he's managed to become a fixed point in time, a mere fact that can't be changed, ignored, or deleted. He'll survive the explosion. He might even survive crashing into the sun. But no matter. He'll have to catch up with us before he can kill me, Ianto, and I'd love to see him manage that."

**ooooooo**

After what felt like hours the alarm finally shut itself off and shortly thereafter Shareen somehow pacified the screaming baby. Thanking every star in the sky for the relative peace and quiet, John utilized a sonic blaster to cut a perfectly square shaped hole in the corridor's ceiling. After giving Gwen a boost up, he watched her climb onto the next level of the building while admiring her rear. Tragically, before he could compliment it Jackie noticed and slapped him upside the head. "Oi!" He glared at her indignantly.

"This is it!" Gwen shouted, leaning back down through the hole. She reached for John's hand and he swung himself up, climbing to her side. Quickly scanning the area, John was delighted to distinguish one giant locker-room crammed with over twenty aisles of two-tier metal compartments. He had no doubt in his mind; this was the repository Gwen had been looking for. "Jackie, I need you to stay down there," the gorgeous brunette presently called down to the spiteful old bitch. John had never been more thankful to ditch a woman in his life.

"No way!" Jackie shouted up at her. "Don't you dare leave me down here! Don't think I don't know what's going on in that head of yours, Gwen Cooper. I won't have you running off and leaving me behind. Rose is my daughter and I'm going to help whether you like it or not."

"Don't you ever shut up?" John demanded, only to get elbowed in the ribs by Gwen. For the love of god, why were they all abusing him? What did he ever do to deserve such treatment? Other than risk his life assisting them against a fucking bastard they weren't likely to outsmart? In this case, whoever said 'you don't need enemies with friends like these' certainly knew what he was talking about.

"I'm sorry, Jackie, I really am," Gwen said, returning her attention down to the infuriated mother. "Trust me, you've already been an enormous help, one we couldn't have hoped for. You've gotten us this far, now I need you to get your son and Shareen to safety. Those alarms may have been for anything and as convenient as they were distracting the guards for us, for all we know there's an even greater threat in the building. Get out!" Jackie kept screeching protests which grated on John's nerves.

"Out of my way," he said, pushing Gwen behind him. Readjusting his sonic blaster, he aimed the weapon at the hole in the ground. Jackie and Shareen, mistaking his target, jumped back yelling curses at him, but he merely activated his weapon's digital rewind and reconstructed the ceiling or floor or whatever you wanted to call it. The wall divided him and Gwen from Jackie and Shareen, trapping them on two separate floors. Satisfied, John grinned at his new partner. "At last we're alone."

Evidently Gwen didn't share his sense of humor. Getting to her feet, she confidently drew a gun she had somehow hidden from the security officers. "Up, now," she ordered him, clicking off the safety mechanism. "We're looking for locker five hundred. Keep in front of me." John whistled, impressed despite himself. Of course she wasn't the only one armed. This facility's security measures were laughable and John also had a weapon or two hidden on his person, but for a girl living in the twenty-first century, Gwen wasn't that bad.

"You know," John said, standing up and holding his hands out where she could see them. "I'm sensing you've got some real trust issues. I could've treated you nicely, Gwen, but if you actually prefer blatant aggression, you better know who you're up against." She didn't dignify his warning with a response and holding him at gunpoint she silently followed him up and down the aisles. The lockers hadn't changed since John's last visit with Jack and just thinking about stealing from them now, with a stranger no less, made his heart ache. He could flirt with Gwen all he liked, it still didn't alleviate the pain of Jack's betrayal. Gwen didn't understand; John had been scorned by the man he loved and he would do anything to win him back. But would stopping Saxon be enough? What if Jack wasn't impressed? What if Jack didn't even care? Why did Jack have to be so bloody cold hearted?

"Here," John said, coming to a stop beside a locker on the upper tier. "Locker five hundred, directly as ordered." He tapped on the door and Gwen glanced up at it to confirm his claim. Nodding, she waved the gun, signaling for him to break in. John sighed. "What? Don't want to get your hands dirty? Gonna make me do all the heavy labor?" He held the sonic blaster against the locker and fired, generating yet another square shaped hole in what had been another obstacle.

A single pedestal stood inside the locker with a bulky ring resting on its crown. Emblazoned with an oddly distorted Celtic Knot, the ring had clearly been eminent in its day, if not to this day on some distant planet. Gwen stared at it wondrously before glancing at John. "Thank you." Her sincerity surprised him more than the words themselves and though John couldn't imagine what was so important about one measly ring, he was suddenly and quite unexpectedly grateful he'd been willing to assist her. God, why did he let women have that affect on him? Now he wanted to follow through with an hour of sex and somehow he just knew Jack wouldn't appreciate that.

Tentatively, Gwen reached inside the locker only to snatch back her hand with a hiss of pain as an energy barrier sparkled to life around the pedestal's crown, effectively sheltering the bloody treasure. "Ouch. Damn, that stung." Gwen glanced at John indignantly while he scrutinized the energy barrier. While no one tried stealing the ring, the barrier faded out of sight, but John knew it would reappear the instant they made another attempt. It was like an electrical bubble that shocked sneaky fingers. Somehow they would have to deactivate it.

"Look," John said, suddenly noticing a panel on the side of the pedestal. It had a keypad with twenty-six small keys for twenty-six different letters. Bollocks. "If you want that ring, love, you're going to need the password. This looks like an extrapolator force field, which means it can't be penetrated, not even if you throw a nuclear warhead at it. I mean if you want to try guessing be my guest, but we're talking about endless permutations and since it's Saxon, I don't even know where to begin."

"Damn, where's Tosh when you need her?" Gwen didn't even hesitate. She fixed her eyes on the keypad and started pressing buttons, but to no avail. John groaned; this was going to take forever.

**ooooooo**

The two slabs that Saxon left behind when he fled on the zeppelin suddenly sprang to life. Jack had no idea what caused the delay, maybe they had been waiting for U.N.I.T. to drop its guard, but when he turned his head he caught sight of them pulling pistols from their belts. He and Rose were still standing at the edge of the roof, cut off from Colonel Mace and the other soldiers, and beneath the din of the roaring flames that burned the last remaining zeppelin, his warning cry could not be heard.

Rose glanced over her shoulder, brushing strands of hair from her face, just in time to witness the slabs open fire on the soldiers. Several men died before any of them knew what was happening and even when the soldiers returned fire, their bullets and lasers hardly injured the leather drones. Outnumbered though they were, the slabs seemed capable of massacring the entire U.N.I.T. contingent. Just like Daleks. Or Cybermen. Or the damn Toclafane. Jack swallowed hard, pushing Rose behind him. He would protect her at all costs.

But then… through the midst of the soldiers, two grappling hooks shot at the slabs. They latched onto each of the drone's leathery chests. Charging into the fray, three cowboys whooped wildly as they fired sonic cannons. Two of them were carrying special Time Agent grappling devices in their free hands, devices that had powerful explosives attached to them. With reckless abandon, the cowboys threw the grappling devices at the burning zeppelin. Almost immediately the slabs were pulled off their feet as the devices retracted their powerful cords.

"Rose!" Jack turned, wrapping his arms around her and dragging her to the ground. As soon as the grappling devices pulled the slabs all the way in they detonated, aggravating the inferno that already consumed the zeppelin. The entire building shuddered as two more explosions ensued, scattering shrapnel and debris everywhere. Jack covered Rose with as much of his body as he could, trying to ignore the distant screaming.

Eventually the explosion settled; all that remained was the dust and the burning zeppelin. A handful of U.N.I.T. soldiers ran towards the ship, having finally procured fire hoses, but Jack paid them no mind. He helped Rose to her feet, noticing a small cut on her forehead, but she was otherwise unharmed and together they turned to confront the three thoughtless Time Agents. "What the hell was that?" Jack angrily demanded, noticing the other Captain Harkness and Gray running up to join them. Gray paled considerably when he saw the blood on Rose's face, but he couldn't get a word in over Jack's tirade. "An explosion like that could have blown apart the entire roof! Is that what Time Agents do in this reality? Go kamikaze?"

"Are you all right?" Gray asked Rose, rushing to her side. She nodded, looking a bit dazed.

Meanwhile, the Time Agents glared at Jack resentfully. To them, he was nothing more than a menace, no different from the renegade captain they had come to collect. "Would you rather have had us permit those hostile drones to slaughter everyone in sight? It's not like we had a choice." They were deliberately provoking him and Jack, who had already lost his temper, nearly threw the first punch. Fortunately Rose anticipated him and reached for his arm, slipping in-between the two. Unfortunately, when she looked up at him, her attention was caught by something behind him and her expression twisted into panic.

"Jack, the zeppelin!"

Whirling around, Jack pinpointed the battle craft Saxon had stolen and sure enough it was on its way back to the control tower. He could only think of one reason why Saxon would steal a ship purportedly armed with missiles and then fly it back to the scene of the crime. As crazy as Saxon was, he wouldn't hesitate to destroy the building and against such an assault not even Time Agency grappling hooks would be able to defend them. Jack's mouth went dry and he looked back at the Time Agents desperately. "You've got to get Rose out of here now."

"What?" Rose stared at him as if he'd lost his mind. "No! I'm not going anywhere, Jack. I'm not just going to leave you here." All around them U.N.I.T. soldiers were struggling to regroup. As they slowly became aware of the oncoming zeppelin, they lapsed into disorder and confusion. Without Colonel Mace, who was lying unconscious on the ground, and without a means of defending the tower from the zeppelin's missiles, they were literally sitting ducks with no one to command them. And yet through it all Rose stood firm, unwavering, daring Jack to send her away. He had to admire her courage.

"Tactical retreat, Rose," he told her stubbornly, gripping her shoulders and driving her backwards. "If Saxon launches those missiles, there's no way you can survive. I can." He pushed her into the arms of an awaiting Time Agent. "I'm begging you, get her to safety." For once the Agent agreed with him and before Rose had the chance to argue he activated the teleportation device on his wrist strap.

Nothing happened.

Gasping, Rose looked up at the Agent in obvious surprise. At the same time the Agent stared down at his wrist strap in obvious dismay. Jack's heart sank as the other two cowboys tested their own teleportation devices, but with no more luck. "There's some sort of interference," an Agent said frantically, tinkering with his wrist strap's scanners. "Saxon's gridlocked us. He's utilizing jamming technology that has the teleport's base code completely scrambled." He glanced at Jack helplessly. "I'm sorry. We can't just hop out of here."

"There's got to be something else we can do," insisted the other Captain Harkness. "Doesn't this tower have shields? Something to defend it from an attack like this?"

"Course it does," Rose said, her gaze straying back to the zeppelin. It seemed to be advancing at a snail's pace, no doubt to mock them and draw out their demise for as long as possible to make it as painful as possible. Rose shuddered. "But Saxon knows all our security codes and he'll have remote access from the zeppelin. He'll be able to lower the shields, easy. Jack…" She was looking to him for a way out and he couldn't give her one. They could try running for their lives, either down the stairs or in an elevator, but there wasn't nearly enough time to clear the blast zone. Those missiles were bound to devastate a small portion of the city.

Jack pulled Rose into his arms and kissed her on the forehead. "I've got you," he told her, holding her tightly as he turned his head to watch the looming zeppelin. Somewhere inside it, Ianto was still Saxon's prisoner and Jack was powerless to do anything about it. He had failed them. Ianto. Rose. He had failed everyone. A part of him always knew it would come to this; Saxon was a Time Lord. The Master. They never stood a chance.

And at that moment, Captain Jack Harkness felt himself despair.

**ooooooo**

"I've got it!" Gwen exclaimed, punching six letters on the keypad. Without blinking, without even pausing to test the accuracy of her claim, she aimed her gun at the ring on the pedestal and shot it to pieces. The force field was definitely gone. John, who up until now had been pacing back and forth down the aisle, bored, cynical, and impatient, turned to stare at her in open astonishment.

"How'd you do that?" he asked stupidly, unable to believe she had managed to determine the proper password without even knowing the number of letters in the combination. There were just too many possibilities. But Gwen, the clever fox, shrugged carelessly as she caught her breath and wiped sweat from her brow.

"To be perfectly honest, it was just a hunch," she confessed, glancing down at the ring's shattered fragments. "I reckon Saxon's the nutter who came up with the password when he installed the force field and since passwords are generally nouns, names, places, and things that matter to you, I asked myself what would matter to Saxon. And then it just sort of came to me. Doctor. The password's 'Doctor.' Nothing means more to the Master than his archenemy. Jack called him obsessed and I'm starting to get why."

"Doctor?" John could barely keep up with Gwen's analysis; she wasn't making any sense. "Doctor who?"

"No time for that," Gwen said, gathering up the fragments and slipping them into her jacket pocket along with her mobile. Slamming the locker door shut she took off running for the repository's exit. "We need to get to the roof. It felt like those explosions came from above and Jack might have something to do with it. Come on, what are you waiting for?" She looked back at him irritably, motioning him to follow. He shook his head, convinced she was mental and yet strangely attracted. Damn, even in alternate realities, Jack still knew how to pick them.

"You know I could get used to a girl who's keen on running into explosions rather than out of them," he said as he legged it after her. "Ever have sex in a minefield? Now _that _can get heated. I think you'd like it." She actually laughed. Maybe, just maybe, their senses of humor weren't so different after all.

**ooooooo**

The zeppelin's target was finally back in sight and Saxon, standing by the ship's surveillance cameras which displayed footage on a nearby monitor, zoomed in on an image of the control tower's roof. "Oh, Ianto! You'll want to see this!" He waved his arm cheerfully and the slab roughly manhandled his prisoner forward. Ianto struggled halfheartedly, but with his wrists cuffed behind his back he didn't have enough leverage to put up much of a fight, a fact he was slowly coming to accept.

The image on the screen revealed Jack and Rose holding each other despondently while they gazed up at the zeppelin. U.N.I.T. soldiers surrounded them, along with the other Captain Harkness, his brother Gray, and three men dressed up like cowboys. None of them, however, meant anything to Ianto and his eyes fixed on Jack, the one man in two universes he would have given anything to be with right now. He envied Rose; dying in Jack's arms had to be better than living in Saxon's grasp.

"Missiles will launch," Saxon eagerly declared. "In five… four…"

Ianto couldn't breathe and his heart started racing in a shoddy attempt to make up for the lack of oxygen. Ultimately, it left him in a stupor as memories of Tosh, Owen, and Lisa plagued his mind. He couldn't bear to watch anyone else die; he couldn't bear to lose Jack too. "You don't have to do this!" he shouted at Saxon. "Just leave them alone! Please!"

Saxon smiled at him and Ianto cowered, especially when the monstrous Time Lord drew near and stroked his cheek. But despite Ianto's pleas, he continued with the countdown, speaking tenderly with false pity. "Three… two…" Ianto's eyes filled with tears and he turned his head. Saxon, however, grabbed his jaw and forced him to look back at the monitor. Rose had buried her head into Jack's shoulder. The people down on that roof were fully expecting to die.

The sound of a mechanical, cyclical rasp suddenly resounded from behind Ianto and Saxon. A strange, inexplicable wind picked up, filling the cockpit with gusts of air. "What?" Saxon let go of Ianto, spinning around in bewilderment. "But these aren't the coordinates I gave her!" Ianto turned his head in time to witness a blue box fading in and out of sight with a light on its apex flashing mysteriously on and off. Recognition lit Saxon's face and he stumbled backwards with a look of panic. "Oh no! Not that Tardis! _Never _that Tardis!" He pulled a small metal rod from his pocket and pressed a switch near the tip that caused it to flicker with a red light. It buzzed for several seconds but failed to keep the blue box from solidifying.

Ianto couldn't comprehend the nature of the box's arrival, but something about its presence left him in awe, strangely comforted and conscious of the valor he never felt around anyone but Jack. He had begun to fear the universe lacked meaning, hope, and basic goodness, but the blue box stirred in him a confidence he hadn't felt since losing Lisa. All this time he had been floundering in the dark, but now he had finally caught sight of a beacon to guide him home.

The wooden doors swung open and a dazzling silver light poured out, silhouetting two entities Saxon evidently loathed. He sputtered furiously as Ianto discerned a man with thick red curls dressed in a Victorian suit and a woman with long golden hair dressed in a pink coat with a white scarf. At their feet was a robotic dog that immediately began blasting red lasers from its nose, effectively striking down each of the slabs in turn. Only the leathery thug clutching Ianto managed to escape disaster and only by forcing Ianto into the line of fire like a human shield.

"It's over, Master!" the man announced while the robotic dog slid across the floor, intent on shooting the last slab but in need of a better angle. "The Ring of Rassilon has been destroyed and all across Gallifrey the Time Lords are awakening. You allowed a handful of humans to distract you, you underestimated them, and now your dominion is falling apart. You are the master of nothing!"

"Impossible," Saxon objected feverishly, assuming a fighting stance. He brandished his metal rod like a weapon while the slab jerked Ianto around, anticipating the dog's movements and keeping its prisoner between them. Meanwhile, the blue box's wooden doors swung back open and a group of humans emerged. Martha, Mickey, the two other men from the alley last night, Rhys, and… Toshiko. Ianto's heart, which had been soaring, suddenly clenched as he recognized the hesitant but courageous woman who had been one of his dearest friends up until her death. "Oh, I see," Saxon said as he glared at the humans. "So the uprising has been on multiple fronts. Humans and Time Lords standing against me. I am very disappointed, Dr. Sato. After I saved you from a cold, dank prison cell, this is how you repay me." Toshiko cringed, trembling visibly even after Saxon turned his attention elsewhere. "And you three! Pete Tyler. Jake Simmonds. Mickey Smith. I hold Rose's life in my hands. How can you act so callously regarding her fate? And here I thought you cared about her wellbeing."

"You bastard," Pete said, drawing a gun. Saxon braced himself as the two strangers looked back at him disparagingly, but he ignored their disapproval. Eyes fixed on Saxon, he aimed the gun with a snarl. "Whatever you've done to my daughter, you undo it now. Reverse it. Let her go." Ianto would have found Pete's grasp on the situation encouraging, but then Martha slid in front of him with her hands up, reaching out for his weapon as if in defense of the devil.

"Pete, you've got to believe me, that won't help," she told him cautiously. "You can't kill a Time Lord with an ordinary bullet. He'll just regenerate." Pete wasn't listening. He tried shoving Martha out of his way, but Mickey took the opportunity to grab his firing arm and twist it behind his back. Pete shouted furiously as the boy disarmed him and Ianto couldn't blame him; if he had a gun he would have tried shooting Saxon as well. The bastard deserved it. Unfortunately, his people didn't seem to agree.

"As a Time Lord, he is entitled to a trial," the blonde woman said, though to her credit she spoke with audible distaste. Saxon rolled his eyes as she scrutinized him sternly. "The Doctor has already agreed to represent you." Ianto caught his breath, glancing at the oddly dressed man in astonishment. Doctor? Was that Jack's Doctor? Before he could consider the possibility, the slab violently twisted him around as the robotic dog once again tried maneuvering into a decent shooting position.

"Let him go," the Doctor said, taking a step towards Saxon, his gaze flickering from his enemy to Ianto and back again. "You can still exit gracefully, Master, you don't have to go down fighting. You've already lost. Did you not think the girl would resist you when you forced the Time Vortex into her? She helped these humans discover the Tardis and she helped them reach Gallifrey where they learned of the Ring of Rassilon and orchestrated its destruction. Humans can also be clever, but you never give them the proper credit and mistake their wits for unpredictability which is why you can't keep up with them, especially when you give a mere child infinite power. Now Romana and I have already flown back to this point in time, to a moment before you commit an unspeakable crime. We would have gone back further, to a point when you didn't have a missile at your fingertips, but with these humans along for the ride that would have risked the timelines. I know I can't stop you from firing that missile, but the other Time Lords are monitoring the situation and if you kill those people they will step in. Provoke them now and you won't be given a fair trial. But if you come with me, if you release your prisoners, if you extract the Time Vortex from the girl, I will do everything in my power to help you on Gallifrey."

"Take his offer, Master," the blonde woman said stiffly. "It's the best one you'll ever get."

"Wrong!" Saxon shouted, suddenly aiming his metal rod at the robotic dog. Activating the device, he laughed as the dog blew apart. The blonde woman shrieked as debris spurted in every direction. She tried running to the dog, but Rhys caught her and pulled her back as the slab holding Ianto shoved him at Saxon. Ianto stumbled, but the Time Lord caught him and forced him up, jabbing the tip of the metal rod into his throat, very painfully. "I don't need an offer!" he gleefully exclaimed as the last remaining slab pulled a pistol from its belt and took aim. Mickey, Jake, and Pete all gripped their own weapons defensively, but without their robotic dog they were outmatched and consequently held their fire. With the slab waiting for its master's command, the situation became a standoff with Saxon in the lead.

"I know you, Doctor," Saxon whispered maliciously as the man slowly raised his arms. "I know you won't risk even one of your precious humans."

"You're not fooling us," Mickey interrupted, staring firmly at the leathery slab. "That's a sonic screwdriver and I know for a fact they don't kill, wound, or maim."

"Actually, that looks like a laser screwdriver," Martha said, correcting him anxiously. "And they do kill." Saxon chuckled, prodding the device deeper into Ianto's neck. He opened his mouth but could barely breathe and the panicked expressions on the faces in front of him, Martha's, the Doctor's, Rhys', Toshiko's, and each of the strangers', did nothing to reassure him.

"The Time Lords can monitor the zeppelin, but they can't see inside it, they can't witness our nice little chat," Saxon assumed and no one denied the fact. "As long as I don't fire that missile, they won't intervene. So this is my proposition. Stand aside and let me take the Tardis or I will kill Ianto, order my slab to annihilate the rest of you, and take the Tardis over your dead bodies. The choice, Doctor, is yours."

**ooooooo**

**A/N: **I can honestly say this is one of the longest chapters I've ever written. What do you think? Will the Master make it? Please, please, please review! By the way, in case anyone's wondering, the Doctor I decided to use in this fic is the Eighth Doctor, portrayed by Paul McGann. If anyone has any helpful comments on his hair or wardrobe, feel free to let me know. Cheers!


	25. Jack's Promise

**A/N: **Another long one, but I can't help it. Allons-y!

**ooooooo**

Gwen's decision to climb to the control tower's roof had not been misguided and as she and John made their way upstream through a torrent of U.N.I.T. soldiers, keeping their eyes out for familiar faces, they both feared they wouldn't be in time. At one point Gwen had shoved a young man no older than Ianto against the wall, demanding to know the current situation, and he frantically informed her of Harold Saxon's treachery, the theft of a U.N.I.T. battle zeppelin, and the threat of an incoming missile. They were sitting ducks about to be annihilated and after John discovered his wrist strap's immobilization they both agreed they would rather reach the landing deck, find Jack, and hopefully work out a solution than panic and give up.

Gwen wouldn't go without a fight. Owen and Tosh had sacrificed everything to save Cardiff and their deaths hadn't been in vain. Gwen expected nothing less from herself and as she pushed through the doors onto the roof, determination and adrenaline contributed to her strength and conviction. "Jack!" she shouted, charging over a mass of bodies and rubble as she scanned through the remaining soldiers searching for her captain. He had to be there, he just had to be there! "Jack!"

John, who had surprisingly been at her side since deserting the repository, which gave Jack more credit for ever putting up with him, suddenly stopped short and threw his arms in front of Gwen, holding her back. They nearly stumbled as John shook his head in agitation. "Change of heart, gorgeous. This is the last place I want to be when I die." Tearing herself free, Gwen shoved him impatiently, ready to yell at him to make up his mind but hesitating when he looked away from her. Following his gaze, she discerned three men dressed up as cowboys and more importantly two Captain Jack Harknesses. She nearly laughed out loud, but then John grabbed her again, desperate. "That's Joe, Jude, and Jeremiah. Blasted Time Agents. And they've even brought along Jack's kid brother. You don't know what they're like, Gwen, and believe me you'd be much happier having sex with me than sticking around here to find out. Why don't we just go back downstairs?"

"And do what?" Gwen demanded, pushing him away. "Have a little sex with our untimely deaths, is that what you want? As flattered as you'd like me to be, I'd actually prefer my end of the world fuck having a pair, so back the hell off." John groaned, exasperated, while Gwen ran towards the two captains. "Jack!" They both turned to look at her along with the rest of their group and sure enough one of the two had his arms wrapped around his brother, Gray. Momentarily confused by the boy's presence, Gwen forced herself to disregard him; he was a stranger from a parallel world, not the murderer of two dear friends. She didn't have time to bother with him and instead she found herself concentrating on the second Jack. _Her _Jack, for his face lit up at the sight of her.

"Gwen!" Without pulling away from the blonde he was holding, Jack reached out for her and she fell naturally into his embrace. As peculiar as it was clasping herself against both him and another girl, Gwen couldn't complain. At moments like these when death seemed inevitable, things were often put in perspective. All that mattered now was that she wasn't alone. "Where have you been?" Jack asked after kissing the top of her head.

"Martha phoned me," Gwen said, drawing out of Jack's arms and glancing sideways at the Time Agents as they welcomed John with open hostility. Even the alternate Jack addressed him coldheartedly as Joe, Jude, and Jeremiah ordered him to his knees. Gwen had no idea whether or not John deserved such treatment even if he was a rogue; after all, she never would have gotten this far without him. Still, she had more important things to worry about and she could repay John later once she was certain they'd make it through this. Concentrating back on Jack, she began a breathless explanation. "They're all safe, Jack, at least when I spoke with them, and they've got a plan. They've even aligned themselves with a Time Lady. Saxon hasn't won yet and if he hasn't fired his missiles there's a chance Martha's on that zeppelin right now with Rhys, Mickey, and the others, stopping him."

"Now that's more like it!" the blonde exclaimed and Jack laughed in delight. Untangling herself from the captain, the blonde glanced up at the looming zeppelin and then got down to business. "We've got to get onboard. If there's still time to fight back, there's no sense in sticking around here." She suddenly faltered, frowning at Gwen uncertainly. "Sorry, you look familiar. Have we met before?"

Gwen stared at the young woman disconcerted by her question for she didn't recognize her. She had never seen her before in her life. "No, I don't think so. Have you gotten me confused with someone else?"

Jack stepped in. "Rose, this is Gwen. She works for me back home at Torchwood. Gwen, this is Rose Tyler." Gwen's mouth dropped open while Rose studied her skeptically, unconvinced by her denial. But whether or not they knew each other, Martha had said Rose was a walking time bomb, a tool with which Saxon hoped to destroy the universe and Gwen considered that the more important mystery. How had Rose…? Oh never mind. She was with Jack and for now that was enough of an explanation.

"We need to get the battle zeppelin's force field down," the alternate Captain Harkness suggested, turning away from John and focusing on the matter at hand. Gwen glared at him, unable to comprehend why the three Time Agents would permit him to help but not Captain John. Weren't they partners? Weren't they both criminals? Or were they favoring their Captain Harkness because of Gray? It didn't seem justified.

"This is a control tower," Gwen nevertheless reminded them, glancing at John almost apologetically before looking back at Jack. "Remember, the observation deck is on the two hundredth floor. If Tosh were here, she could hack onto the zeppelin's security system and lower the force field. Saxon might not notice if Martha and the others are distracting him." The problem was Tosh wasn't there. What was the use of planning strategies they couldn't attempt without their deceased comrades? It was a waste of time and Gwen flushed in shame and sorrow.

"Or," John said casually interrupting them. The Time Agents, Gray, and the other Captain Harkness all scowled resentfully so he regarded Gwen. "I could scan the landing deck for the Yrderian prison transport Suzie stole from me last night. I might have accidently jammed the cloaking device, but Suzie's not the only one capable of planting old fashioned homing beacons and it should be lying around here somewhere. We're talking about intergalactic police, perhaps not as notorious as the Judoon, but still highly competent and…"

"Highly competent?" the other Captain Harkness exclaimed with a snide bark of laughter. "They couldn't even contain _you_ for very long!"

"The fact they contained me at all does them proud," John snapped back, volatile and short-tempered. He was anything but a prudent man and Gwen remembered the first night she had met him back in her reality; he had shoved Jack off the top of a building. When pushed, he was impulsive and violent. Gwen feared what he might do now, scorned once again by his lover. "And anyway, their competency is completely irrelevant. A zeppelin like that is an undeniably crude ship and no matter how bright Harold Saxon is, he can't install extrapolator shielding to primitive and incompatible aircrafts. Whatever force field he's using, it's not potent enough to stand against fully functional Yrderian artillery."

Rose glanced at the alternate Harkness with a knowing smile. "What, the two of you get in a row or something?" She actually sounded amused and Gwen wondered if she was accustomed to having laughs while in imminent danger. She was certainly more relaxed than her rampaging mother, which was a blessing in itself all things considered. "Pity you don't row more often. It actually makes you helpful."

"Right," Jack said, walking over to John and yanking him to his feet. "You locate that spaceship immediately. We're running out of time and Ianto's onboard so don't make this difficult and get a move on it. Now."

**ooooooo**

"How far do you think you'll get, Master?" the Doctor asked, his hands raised in concession despite Mickey, Jake, and Pete's open defiance. Their weapons were trained on the remaining slab and they did not look keen on surrendering even at the cost of Ianto's life. For all they knew, Saxon would have them killed the moment they lowered their weapons and they couldn't risk the entire team for the sake of just one man. Martha wished there was something she could do, but at this point she had to rely on the Doctor. "You know you can't run forever, especially not in my Tardis. The Time Lords will catch up with you."

"You sound so sure of them," Saxon replied, glancing from the Doctor to the slab and back again. "Have you forgotten, Doctor? I've spent most of my life running from the Time Lords; I've a knack for it. And they are so stagnant. I doubt a few years imprisoned in stone will have changed their complacent dispositions. How long will it take them to tire of the hunt? They'll never follow through and then I will have my freedom."

"Have you forgotten I am the Lady President of Gallifrey?" Romana demanded from Rhys' arms. She turned her head away from K-9's mangled body and glared at Saxon furiously. "I will not permit you to go unpunished. Not after this. By running you might delay your condemnation but you will never have your freedom." Her sharp and fervent tone suggested anything but stagnation and complacency. She had cared greatly about the robotic dog and Saxon just destroyed it. From the sound of things, Romana wanted vengeance for K-9 more than justice for her people. "You've been warned, Master. Stand down."

"Oh, I don't think so," Saxon said, shaking his head. "You've already lost one toy, Romanadvoratrelundar. Don't force me to start taking lives. I highly doubt…" He trailed off as an angry alarm blared from one of the zeppelin's security systems. Taking advantage of the disruption, Martha sprang forward only to dive to the ground when the slab blasted its pistol at her. Mickey, Jake, and Pete immediately covered her, shooting the slab with all the firepower they could muster. Meanwhile, Ianto attempted to jerk away from Saxon, which distracted the Time Lord long enough for the Doctor to scramble over to the zeppelin's steering wheel. He spun it hard to the left, brandishing his sonic screwdriver with a practiced ease to accelerate the ship's rotation. Aside from him, it knocked everyone off their feet, including the slab.

Ianto finally managed to break free from Saxon and he propelled himself towards Martha and Toshiko, gasping for breath. Much of his face and neck had been bruised, his eyes were bloodshot, and as Martha reached for him, pulling him back towards the Tardis, she noticed his bloody wrists; the cuffs were on too tightly and he was still trying to wriggle out of them. "Oh my god."

At that moment, something big crashed into the side of zeppelin's cockpit. Martha screamed as she, Ianto, and Toshiko once again landed hard on the ground, twice in under thirty seconds. She couldn't see what it was, but it bashed a sizable hole into the side of the ship which immediately sucked out the slab. Fortunately, before anyone else could share the leathery drone's fate an invisible force seemed to plug up the hole. Martha heard a hatch clanging open and raising her head she watched in astonishment as Captain Jack Harkness hauled himself up out of thin air, hovering around three meters off the ground. He must have been standing on top of a cloaked spaceship; it was the only sensible explanation.

Behind Jack emerged Gwen, followed by a blonde girl Martha recognized from Saxon's laboratory despite her ordinary appearance. Rose Tyler. Somehow Jack had not only managed to rescue her from the Hadron Web, but he had also removed the Time Vortex from out of her head. He had saved her and Martha squealed in unexpected jubilation.

"No, no, no, no, no, no!" Saxon shrieked, obviously not as thrilled as Martha. From his vantage point on the ground he aimed the laser screwdriver directly at Jack, but the captain was faster. Revolver in hand, he shot the Time Lord in the arm. Saxon screamed as Jack fired a second bullet, shooting him in the leg. Blood spilled everywhere and Martha covered her mouth, suddenly feeling sick. She knew from experience this wasn't the kind of behavior her Doctor would condone, even if it was the Master they were up against, and she worriedly glanced around at the Doctor from this reality. Unsurprisingly he looked every bit as sick as Martha felt, leaning shakily against the zeppelin's steering wheel.

Getting to her feet, Martha scuttled into the Tardis searching frantically for the Doctor's medical kit. By the time she found it beneath the console and had returned back outside, Jack was on the ground towering above Saxon; they were glaring at each other with equal hatred and Martha knew Jack well enough to detect his strong desire to shoot the Time Lord dead. Unable to sympathize with either one of them, Martha pushed Jack away and knelt down next to Saxon. Grabbing his laser screwdriver, she threw it across the room and started treating Saxon's injuries. A part of her wished Saxon would yell at her or attack her or otherwise provoke her as she honestly despised him, but he proved cooperative, at least for the moment, and the doctor in her compelled her to assist him. Damn Hippocrates.

Meanwhile, Rose ran up to Mickey, Pete, and Jake, throwing her arms around all three of them at once. Tears were pouring down her face as opposed to Gwen who laughed joyously when she and Rhys embraced. The Doctor remained by the steering wheel while Romana cowered next to K-9, staring at Jack in horrified mystification as he approached Ianto. The Welshman was sitting on the floor in a daze as Toshiko attempted to remove his handcuffs, using whatever pick her ingenious fingers had managed to fashion. Jack knelt in front of them, kissed Ianto, and then pulled them both into his arms, holding them tightly, much to Tosh's incredulity. Seeing all of them now especially as she worked to ease the Master's pain, Martha felt lonelier than she had since leaving the Doctor. She desperately missed Tom and wanted nothing more than to go home. Would this adventure ever end?

Apparently not. At that moment, the invisible ship began moving, catching everyone's attention. They turned their heads as the gaping hole in the side of the zeppelin gradually widened. Martha felt the onset of decompression and everyone knew they had a problem when Gwen glanced around at Jack and asked, "Did John ever get off the ship?" There wasn't any sign of Captain Hart and if he maneuvered the ship away from the zeppelin, if he unplugged that hole, they would all be sucked outside like the slab.

"Into the Tardis!" the Doctor shouted. Jack immediately pulled Ianto to his feet and with Tosh's help guided him towards the blue police box. Rose, Gwen, Rhys, Mickey, Pete, Jake, and Romana scrambled after them while the Doctor hastened towards Martha and Saxon. Together, the two of them managed to heft Saxon off the ground, careful of his wounds. It didn't make much of a difference, he still hissed in considerable agony thanks to Jack, but without a second to spare they pushed through the wooden doors of the time machine and made their way into safety.

**ooooooo**

"What the hell do you mean he got away?"

Twenty minutes later, the Tardis had materialized in the open square down in front of the control tower where it was ultimately surrounded by the three Time Agents, the alternate Captain Harkness, and Gray. Presently, Gwen was trying to explain how John Hart had managed to give them the slip. She was lucky enough to have Rhys, Rose, and Rose's three boys backing her, what with Jack still inside the Tardis' console room caring for Ianto and Tosh while the Doctor, Martha, and Romana continued treating Saxon's injuries down in the Tardis' cellar, but even if Gwen had been entirely on her own she still would have volunteered for the unpleasant task of dealing with the Agents. Captain Hart might have been an obnoxious renegade in every reality imaginable, but in the two Gwen had seen, he had proven himself capable of honor and she had to admit he wasn't all that bad, especially when compared to Harold Saxon.

"After locating the Yrderian spaceship, Captain Hart flew us up to the zeppelin, blasted his way through the zeppelin's defense shields, and crashed into it," Gwen explained yet again, slowly and patronizingly. "We thought the element of surprise would give as an advantage and we took it without hesitation. We climbed out of the spaceship into the zeppelin and dealt with the situation as quickly as possible. We didn't realize Captain Hart had stayed inside the Yrderian spaceship until he pulled out of the zeppelin and flew away." She felt like she was addressing small children and enjoyed it immensely.

"Well, you can't exactly blame him," Captain Harkness said, having himself been arrested. The Time Agents didn't favor him after all; they had placed him in handcuffs following the official confiscation of his tools and weapons. "Rehab with Mr. Reynolds. Talk about a bleak and miserable future." Captain Harkness shuddered at the thought and the only thing that kept Gwen from jumping to his aid, aside from Rhys' hand clutching hers, was the look on Gray's face. In this reality he still loved his brother and hopefully rehab with Mr. Reynolds would help them work through their differences. If only they knew how fortunate they were…

"Come on, Jack, you've got a counterpart from a parallel world to live up to now," Rose said cheerfully, unconcerned with the captain's reluctance. After all, she knew more about the Time Agency than Gwen did and was apparently on good terms with its leader. They had negotiated treaties or something like that and if Rose approved of the Agency, Gwen reckoned she could too. "Besides," Rose continued. "I know how you feel about Captain Hart. Whatever you're rowing about, you won't hold a grudge forever, will you?"

"Are you kidding?" Captain Harkness leaned towards Rose conspiratorially, but one of the Time Agents yanked him back. That, however, hardly deterred the mischievous rogue. "If John breaks me out of rehab, I'll never reject him again, long as I live." He winked at Rose who shook her head while Gwen struggled not to laugh. The Time Agents, on the other hand, weren't amused and after casting Gwen one last disdainful glare, they adjusted their wrist straps and teleported back to the fifty-first century, taking Captain Harkness and Gray along with them.

"ROSE!"

Before any of them could acknowledge the Time Agents' departure, a familiar screech resounded from across the square. Turning her head, Gwen caught sight of Jackie Tyler and Shareen Sullivan, the latter of whom held little Tony. For once Rose's mum didn't resemble a fearsome beast but a devastated, traumatized woman who had finally caught sight of her long lost daughter. She had tears in her eyes and Gwen suddenly regretted dragging her into this. At the time it had seemed like a good idea, but Jackie didn't deserve the fear she had been put through.

"MUM!" Rose bounded towards her mother and within seconds they were in each other's arms. Pete pushed past Gwen to join them, but Mickey held back. He might have been part of their family, but he chose to stay with Jake. Gwen thought she understood and reluctant to intrude on their intimate reunion, she turned towards Rhys and fell into warm and comforting embrace.

**ooooooo**

Ianto was finally sleeping. Upon entering the Tardis, Jack had helped him over to a cot that extended from a certain hexagonal roundel on the wall. Having climbed onto the cot himself, Jack presently cradled Ianto in his arms, protectively and affectionately. Along with everything else the Master had done to him, he had apparently stimulated Ianto's nervous system, keeping him awake and so agitated he had exhausted himself, inducing sleep deprivation. Ianto was barely able to function, but fortunately the Doctor had some sedatives that apparently worked miracles. Ianto didn't even seem to be dreaming.

Sitting next to the console, Toshiko occasionally and apprehensively glanced in Jack's general direction. Since the Doctor, Martha, and Romana were in the cellar with Saxon, she was Jack's only companion and her timidity reminded him of his very own Tosh's diffidence back when she had first joined Torchwood. It had taken ages for her to gain self-esteem, to feel confident and dignified after the ordeal she had barely survived. Seeing this reality's Tosh suffering from the same pain his Tosh had recovered from was like traveling back in time and Jack found it strangely comforting. Perhaps he hadn't failed his dear Toshiko after all, if he had been able to affect her so beneficially. Perhaps he could show his closest and beloved friends the wonders of the universe after all, and not just the muck. And perhaps there was something he could do to help this world's Toshiko as well.

"You're a terrifying thing, Captain Jack. Did you know that?"

Somehow the Doctor had managed to sneak back into the console room without drawing Jack's attention and that was extremely impressive. He had thought his senses were still on red alert, but maybe he had dropped his guard without realizing it. He wouldn't be surprised; it was known to happen when he was watching Ianto sleep. And now, as the Doctor paused next to Tosh, Jack allowed himself to smile. "Terrifying, huh? Well, to be honest I prefer 'impossible,' but then again terrifying is a hell of a lot better than flat out 'wrong,' so I'm not complaining." The Doctor chuckled, but the laugh was brief. Jack sighed; "Did Martha explain it to you?"

"As best as she could, given the circumstances," the Doctor assured him. "You're a fixed point in time from an alternate reality thanks to a girl who absorbed the Time Vortex while fighting the Daleks. Everything about Martha's explanation terrifies me, but you know there's always something exhilarating about raw terror." Jack raised an eyebrow and the Doctor prudently changed subjects. "I don't wish to know anything more about that reality. I'm quite content with my own, thank you, though I do reckon I owe you and your friends for saving Gallifrey. It was awfully kind of you. To that end, I've already examined the chasm your friend Miss Tyler created when she pulled the lot of you through the Void. Normally I'd be furious by the damage, but considering she had the entire Time Vortex burning her alive, I'll excuse her. She could have easily devastated two universes but she somehow restrained herself. I wouldn't expect that from a human. Most impressive. The Master wanted her to devour all of time and space and she merely dug a tiny little chasm to resist him. She even tried repairing it afterwards, but that would have required more control than the Hadron Web allowed her. Eventually I'll have to finish her repairs myself, but for now I shall procrastinate. The chasm will remain open until I've sent you back to your reality."

"Best news I've heard all day," Jack said, hiding his relief. Traveling between parallel worlds was supposed to be impossible and since rescuing Rose from the Hadron Web he had started to wonder if they were stuck. It wouldn't be so bad given the company; he still had Gwen and Ianto after all, and Gwen even had Rhys. But this Doctor wasn't _his _Doctor and he had already promised Martha and Rose he would get them both back to the men they loved. The last thing he wanted was to be stranded in this reality. "What about the Master?"

"He's secure," the Doctor said. "While I was looking into that chasm of Miss Tyler's, Martha and Romana were patching up his wounds. He'll have recovered by the time we return home and hopefully he'll be given a fair trial, but I assure you he can't escape, try though he doubtlessly will." The Doctor suddenly eyed Jack disapprovingly. "You didn't have to shoot him though, especially not twice."

"He deserves worse," Jack retorted, glancing down at Ianto. "I would have killed him, Doctor, if I thought he wouldn't just regenerate. Call me a monster if you like, but I would have done it in a heartbeat. He hurt my family and that's something I can't forgive." The Doctor wasn't impressed, but Jack didn't care. "Don't fault me, please. I only did what I had to do. And it was the right thing."

"Perhaps from a human's perspective," the Doctor grimly agreed. He glanced down at the Tardis' console and began fiddling with the controls. Tosh watched his every movement, clearly enraptured, and Jack smiled sadly. She reminded him so much of his Toshiko and if there was one thing, just one thing he could have given her, one thing in the entire universe, he knew without a doubt what it would have been. An opportunity to travel, an opportunity to see the stars with the one man who knew how to present them. It wasn't too late.

"Doctor," Jack said and the Time Lord glanced up at him courteously. "In spite of everything you're already doing for us, and in spite of how terrifying you think I am, and especially in spite of our little argument, do you think you could do me one last favor?" The Doctor answered with a slight shrug, nodding cautiously. He wasn't agreeing yet, but Jack found his attentiveness encouraging. He nodded at Toshiko. "When you start traveling again, take her with you. Show her what's out there. I know how extraordinary it is… but Tosh doesn't and she deserves to see it more than I do."

The Doctor finally looked impressed and he glanced at Tosh in consideration while she stared back at him in wide-eyed shock. "Well, I suppose that would be up to you my dear. I would never object to a traveling companion, especially one who has taken so well to the Tardis. Would you care to accompany me?" Tosh opened her mouth, but she was struck speechless. She couldn't find the words as tears brimmed in her eyes, but she nodded emphatically, glancing at Jack with such gratitude that he knew in some small way he had just saved her once again and for the last time.

**ooooooo**

When Jack stepped out of the Tardis and called for Rose, Gwen, and Rhys, telling them it was time to leave, a look of panic crossed Jackie's face. "What's he mean it's time to leave?" she asked Rose anxiously. "Where the hell does he think he's taking you? I just got you back, Rose, you can't go anywhere!"

"Jack's promised to take us home," Rose explained, hardly able to contain her excitement. She turned eagerly from her mother to Pete to Mickey as Gwen and Rhys slipped inside the police box. "Don't you see, he's promised to get us back to our world. To the Doctor. Not to this world's Doctor, but to _my _Doctor." An uncomfortable silence ensued. Mickey glanced at Jake while Pete relieved Shareen of the baby, quietly sending her home. She was justifiably confused and concerned; as she walked down the street she kept peering over her shoulder while Jackie reached for her daughter's hands. It didn't take Rose long to realize why they were so upset. "You don't want to go?"

"We can't just pack up and leave, Rose," Pete told her. "Didn't the Doctor say you and Jackie allegedly died during the Battle of Canary Wharf? How do you plan on explaining that? And your father died years ago. I couldn't live there now."

"No, you can," Rose insisted, her excitement quickly melting into alarm. "Because Jack runs Torchwood and he can give us new identities or something. Completely different lives. No one would question it."

"I've already been given a different life!" Jackie objected. "And as perfect as it sounds, I can't do it again. It's just too hard, Rose, adapting to all the nagging little differences. But I do love it here. We're a proper family here and just think about Tony. I can give him a better life than I was ever able to give you in that other world. A good education. A proper house." Rose covered her mouth, trying not to panic. Why did the universe seem so adamantly opposed to her finding her Doctor? She would never get another chance like this and it just wasn't fair. Even Mickey was against her.

"I can't go back," he whispered. "I can't leave my gran, Rose. She hasn't seen me in a year thanks to Saxon and it's like I've always said. Why be alone in that world when I've got family here? When I've got Jake?" Rose glanced at Jake despondently, but he looked down, unable to meet her gaze. None of them could meet her gaze. They all knew how much this meant to her, but they still wanted her to stay.

"Please Rose," Jackie pleaded, squeezing her daughter's hands. "Don't do this. Think of everything you've done here. The Doctor showed you a better way of living, I know, and you can't accept an ordinary, day to day, normal life, but you haven't got one of those, have you? You've got a remarkable life where you've negotiated treaties with aliens, where you've fought for peace and justice, where you've even led Earth into the bloody future! It's wasn't the traveling that was important, you said it was the way of life, and you're living it, Rose, here with your family. Isn't that enough?"

Fighting back tears, Rose shook her head. "No. It's not, mum, 'cause I need the Doctor. It's not a choice for me. I have to go." She glanced at Pete who nodded slowly, a single tear sliding down his face. "You saw what Saxon did to me," she said. Jackie turned to her husband in fear while he clenched his eyes shut, mortified with himself. "I don't blame you," Rose assured him. "There's so much about this past year I can't remember, but I can still feel it, the pain, the fire, and the only reason I survived…" She choked up and had to catch her breath. "I love him," she said at last. "And he needs someone who will never leave his side. He's all alone, mum." It was the same old argument, but this was the last time they would ever have cause to fight it out. If Rose didn't leave with Jack… she would never see her Doctor again. And yet… if she did leave with Jack she would never see her family again.

"Rose!" Jackie shook her head, distraught. "When I think of you traveling with the Doctor… What if something happens to him? What if you're left all on your own? I can't protect you and it breaks my heart!"

"She'll never be alone, Mrs. Tyler," Jack said gently, appearing at Rose's side. She looked up at him gratefully and when he took her hands from her mother's, enfolding them in his own, Rose felt safer and truer than she had since leaving Bad Wolf Bay. This was meant to happen. She needed her Doctor. She wasn't Rose Tyler without him. "Even if something were to happen to the Doctor," Jack continued. "His Tardis has an emergency program that will send Rose back to the twenty-first century, in which case I'll protect her myself. For the rest of her life, which will be a long and happy life, I will look after her. I promise."

**ooooooo**

**A/N: **The end is now in sight. Please review. Cheers!


	26. Epilogue: The Reunion

**A/N: **Well, here it is… the final installment… Wow, this took much longer to write than I thought it would. Anyway, thanks for all the support, keep reviewing, and enjoy the epilogue. Don't know about you, but this is without a doubt the chapter I've been waiting for. Allons-y!

**ooooooo**

The journey back to the urban park where they had initially woken up in Pete's World proved short but surprisingly grave. They were going back home, for the chasm created by the Bad Wolf when she pulled the team through the Rift and the Void was still ajar and the Doctor agreed to send them through it before sealing it permanently, but by traveling with them Rose had said goodbye to her family. Forever. She looked heartbroken; she was sitting by the Tardis' console with her arms wrapped around herself, staring blankly at the controls. Martha couldn't begin to imagine what she was feeling; she understood how hard it was choosing between family and the Doctor, but while Martha herself had always put family first Rose had chosen him. No wonder they were so different.

Gwen, whose arms were flung tightly around Toshiko, constantly glanced at Rose in mystification. She was likely wondering what made the Doctor so special that Rose would give up everything to be with him. Martha knew Jack had made the same choice once, but in the end he had returned to Torchwood. Gwen had forgiven him, but what if one day he followed Rose's example? What if one day he left for good? Martha wanted to reassure her; Jack would never abandon them. Traveling with the Doctor was extraordinary, but they all had duties, responsibilities, lives to live, dreams to fulfill, hopes, aspirations, friends, and families… Rose alone loved the Doctor so much that she couldn't be happy without him and unlike Martha and even Jack the Doctor returned her feelings. They needed each other.

Upon landing in the urban park, Jack and Rhys woke Ianto and helped maneuver him outside with Martha, Gwen, and Rose trailing after them. Twenty-four hours had passed since they last stood in that park and though nothing about it had changed, everything felt different. Glancing over her shoulder, Martha looked back at the strange Tardis where the Doctor with his unfamiliar face stood alongside Toshiko watching from the wooden doors. Downstairs, in the time machine's cellar, Martha knew Romana was either guarding Saxon or hiding from Jack. They hadn't had an opportunity to say goodbye and now Martha would never see her again. Nor would she ever see Mickey, Jake, or Pete. They had traveled across the universe together, they had explored Gallifrey together, and for once Martha yearned for a longer farewell.

The Doctor nodded silently and then closed the Tardis' doors, disappearing inside with Toshiko. Contemplating the places he would take her, Martha smiled in spite of herself as the blue police box rose into the sky. She wasn't accustomed to watching the Tardis fly like a normal ship, but it was a spectacular sight that warmed her heart. Glancing around at her team, Martha observed Jack holding Ianto, half supporting him half embracing him; Gwen and Rhys pressing against each other; and Rose staring up at the Tardis tenderly. The ship was her home. They were all going home.

A golden cloud appeared in the sky around the Tardis. The ground started shaking and Martha found herself gripping Rose for support. The cloud widened and then gradually dispersed, revealing a golden crack between two worlds, a golden tunnel. It no longer resembled a dangerous abyss but a welcome pathway that would safely convey them to their destination. And as it pulled them upwards, Martha heard herself laughing.

**ooooooo**

When Ianto opened his eyes, he felt like he'd been sleeping for days. Recognizing the relative warmth and comfort of his bed, the murky shadows of the room he occupied, and the clutter of high-tech equipment surrounding him, he knew he was finally in safe hands and breathed a deep sigh of relief. Turning his head, he perceived Jack lying next to him awake and ever vigilant. For a moment they just gazed at each other until Ianto turned the rest of the way towards him and felt his fingers caressing his face. "How long have we been here?"

"Hours," Jack said quietly. "You were given sedatives that really do the trick. Even when we were hurtling through the Rift, you were barely conscious. Everything's back to normal now, Ianto. We're back home and in this reality there's only one Time Lord left in existence who wouldn't even consider hurting a Weevil, much less a human."

"Your Doctor." Ianto quivered. When he tried picturing the compassionate alien, he only recalled Harold Saxon and the nightmares that went with him. Cringing, suddenly cold and nauseas, Ianto remembered everything that happened in the parallel world and couldn't believe it was over. How could it be over? Saxon would find him again, surely, and he'd find a way to hurt him. Fear left Ianto restless and close to panicking; he tried getting up but Jack caught him and effortlessly eased him back down.

"Trust me, Ianto. I've got you now." Jack's reassurances soothed him and after glancing at each other they kissed passionately, thoughts of parallel worlds, Time Lords, and unspeakable evils temporarily fading into the background.

**ooooooo**

"This used to be Owen's turf," Martha said as she examined Rose for any sign of injuries. The girl had been caught in a Hadron Web with the entire Time Vortex consuming her for about a year, so it stood to reason there might be some lasting physical damage. Now that things had finally settled down, Martha had led her into the Torchwood autopsy room where fortunately there weren't any bodies lying around and she proceeded with the examination. "I know it's not a standard medical room, but it's efficient and I hear Owen used to boast it's the best damn facility on the planet."

"Kind of like the Tardis," Rose casually observed. "Not a standard spaceship, but the best one in the universe." Martha smiled, checking each of Rose's arms in turn, but there wasn't so much as a scratch or a bruise. Despite having been impaled by lethal metal rods, Rose was in better condition than Ianto. She knew it, too. Sliding off the autopsy table, Rose took Martha's hands and squeezed them warmly. "I don't suppose anyone's praised you for bandaging up Mr. Saxon." Martha rolled her eyes, but Rose was serious. "You did a good thing. It takes someone very special to treat a man like him. The Doctor would have been proud."

"I know," Martha assured her. They were alone in the autopsy room. Jack had taken Ianto down to his bedroom and Gwen had left the base with Rhys to spend the rest of the day at their flat. Martha knew Rhys had a lot to tell his wife about traveling to Gallifrey and rescuing the Time Lords, his first incredible space adventure, and they deserved a few private hours to themselves. Conveniently, it gave Martha the perfect opportunity to share something very important with Rose. "Look, about Saxon… He's not just one of the countless Time Lords from that parallel world. There was a Saxon here, too. And less than a year ago, he conquered Earth."

Rose scoffed. "Don't be stupid. The Doctor's the last of his kind. It's not something to laugh about."

"But I'm not," Martha assured her. Rose frowned, noting her solemnity and caught off guard. The story that followed was long and extensive with absolutely nothing left out. Martha explained the fob watches that changed Time Lord biology, her journey with Jack and the Doctor to the end of the universe, Professor Yana and how the Master became human to hide from the Daleks during the Time War. She explained how the Master stole the Tardis and worked his way up to Prime Minister. She explained the Toclafane, the paradox that brought humans from the end of the universe back to the twenty-first century as destructive, childlike monsters who lived to serve one man. She explained the year that never was and how she had fled only to become a legend, the Earth's last hope. She explained everything up until the Master's death, the reversal of time, and the Doctor's ultimate loss.

"But I'm not like you, Rose," Martha confessed at the end. "My family was traumatized and I couldn't just leave them, not even for the Doctor. He's traveling with a woman called Donna Noble now, so he's not alone. I pray to god she never experiences anything half as devastating. No one should ever have to go through that."

Tears had formed in Rose's eyes, though she kept them from shedding. "If only I could have been there…" She breathed deeply, shaking her head. "I've seen him face the Daleks and that's hard enough. He lost everything 'cause of them. But for one of his own people…" She was trembling and Martha took her hands, holding them supportively. "He gives up everything for the sake of the universe and what's he ever get in return? More loneliness and heartache. It's not fair."

Martha laughed and pulled Rose into her arms. "It almost sounds like you've forgotten the single most important detail, Rose Tyler. He's about to get you back and I can't think of anyone in the entire universe he'd rather have at his side."

**ooooooo**

"Let me ask you something," Donna Noble said as she followed the Doctor into the Tardis, having just completed an exciting excursion through Tenochtitlan, otherwise known as Mexico City during the age of the Aztecs. "Does everything in Earth's history revolve around aliens from space or are you just drawn to them like a magnet?" The Doctor smiled cheerfully, which irked Donna. He had nearly been sacrificed to Huitzilopochtli, some sort of Aztec God but actually an alien in disguise, and he didn't care at all that she had risked life and limb to save the day.

"Well, between you and me, it's not aliens I'm drawn to so much as excitement, and you can't have excitement without a good old fashioned chase, I like chases, nothing like a chase to get the hearts pumping again, and you can't have a chase without a chaser, and it just so happens aliens make very good chasers." He laughed as he danced around the Tardis' console and Donna couldn't stay irked with him for long. That's what she loved about traveling with the Doctor. It was so invigorating; it made her feel so alive.

At that moment a mobile hidden somewhere in the console began ringing and the Doctor froze, glancing in its direction with surprise etched across his face. Donna, however, jumped at the sound of it. "Oi! Do you reckon that's Martha? We could go to her wedding! Wouldn't you fancy a wedding after almost having your head chopped off?" She squealed in delight while the Doctor tentatively reached for the mobile, answering it only after a moment's hesitation.

"Hello?"

**ooooooo**

The Tardis materialized in Cardiff, though Donna still couldn't say why. Unsurprisingly it had indeed been Martha phoning them, though not to discuss her wedding plans. Apparently she needed the Doctor immediately but refused to elaborate even when Donna snatched the mobile and demanded an explanation herself. Martha had been deliberately vague. Of course curiosity got the best of the travelers and the next thing Donna knew she was accompanying the Doctor alongside the Millennium Centre.

Eventually they reached the Roald Dahl Plass where Martha stood waiting with a handful of strangers all of whom looked apprehensive, as if they didn't know what to expect. But Martha, the moment she caught sight of the Doctor, grinned broadly and propelled herself forward, grasping him in an enthusiastic bear hug. "Whoa!" Pleasantly surprised, the Doctor returned the embrace. "What's this for, then?"

Martha looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "I've just had the most unbelievable day of my life." She stepped sideways and gave Donna a hug while the strangers cautiously approached. In the lead walked a shockingly handsome man dressed in an old World War II coat, followed by another man whose face was covered in bruises, but who still looked good in his smart, stylish suit. Finally there came a young couple; a dark haired woman and a pudgy faced man who were holding hands while whispering urgently to each other. Donna thought she could hear something about a "completely different bloke."

"Well if it isn't Captain Jack," the Doctor said almost suspiciously when the strangers finally reached them. The handsome leader flushed and then, before Donna knew what was happening, he and the Doctor were in each other's arms laughing. "What sort of trouble have you gotten yourself into this time? And with Martha, no less!" Donna harrumphed, slapping the Doctor's arm and he glanced at her as if just remembering she was there. She made a face, nodding pointedly at Jack, but the Doctor, thick as he was, just blinked at her.

"Allow me to introduce myself," the handsome stranger said, catching on. He turned towards Donna, reaching for her hand and giving it a kiss. "Captain Jack Harkness," he said smoothly, offering her a dashing smile. She felt her heart flutter while the Doctor looked on in open disgust.

"Donna, this is Jack. Jack, Donna. Now stop it!" The Doctor pushed Jack away and leaned in towards Donna sternly. "Whatever you do, don't encourage him. He's incorrigible enough as it is. Oh, there's a word!" He looked back at Jack triumphantly while Martha and the other dark haired woman glanced at each other in amusement. "Incorrigible. Describes you perfectly."

"Sure about that?" Donna asked, unconvinced. "It's not exactly the word that comes to my mind." Jack grinned while the Doctor rolled his eyes and if Donna didn't know any better, she'd say he was jealous.

"Doctor, I think it's about time you met my team," Jack cut in, taking the Doctor's arm and guiding him over to the rest of the strangers. A noticeable frown creased the Time Lord's brow, but before he could say anything Jack stepped over him. "They've been waiting a long time to meet you, Doctor, and Martha's not the only one who's had an unbelievable day, so don't think of them as Torchwood. Think of them as family."

"What, doesn't he like Torchwood?" the pudgy faced man asked, genuinely surprised.

"I strongly disapprove of Torchwood," the Doctor snapped, but then he noticed the dark haired woman standing at the man's side and his entire countenance changed. "Then again…" He grabbed his sonic screwdriver and started waving it around her face, but only until her partner dragged her behind him and sputtered at the Doctor indignantly. "Right, sorry." The Doctor lowered his arm, properly abashed. "That's me being rude again." Having apologized, he bounced back up in excitement, spinning towards Jack. "I might have been wrong about your new regime, Captain. There's a slight possibility I've met your friend's great, great, great, great, many times great, great aunt or something. Couldn't be her grandmother, but definitely a relative. Got to hand it to good old spatial genetic multiplicity." He beamed happily at the dark haired woman. "What's your name?"

"Gwen Cooper," she replied, considerably flustered as she moved back out from behind her partner.

"Gwen Cooper!" he jovially declared, turning back towards Jack. "She looks just like one of her ancestors who happened to save my life long time ago by sealing shut the Rift."

Jack's face lit up and he pointed two fingers at the Doctor. "Gwyneth! First time I ever set foot in Cardiff, Rose told me about her. She's the reason the Rift generates the energy that refuels the Tardis!" He clapped his hands, laughing in delight. "Who would have thought? Defending the Earth from harmful Rift activity is actually in Gwen's blood!" Gwen stared at them both as if they'd lost their minds and Donna couldn't blame her. She never understood half the things the Doctor said and from the sound of it Captain Jack was likely to prove equally indecipherable.

"What's wrong with him? I've never seen him act this way before." The pudgy faced man regarded Jack in perplexity, which led Donna to wonder how Jack behaved when he wasn't having laughs with the Time Lord. She thought she recognized the name Torchwood, but just barely, and if the Doctor disapproved of it, if her instincts weren't entirely misleading her, then the institute wasn't one that regularly produced bundles of joy. And, sure enough, absolutely none of the captain's subordinates seemed to know what to make of his current behavior; only Martha remained unperturbed.

"It's all right," she assured Gwen's companion, stepping up next to him. "The Doctor tends to bring out the best in people. Doctor, Donna, this is Rhys Williams, Gwen's husband, and before Jack says anything I'm going to vouch for him. He can definitely handle himself in a crisis and he's definitely coming to my wedding." Rhys glanced at Martha in surprise while Gwen smiled proudly. Jack just grunted noncommittally as the Doctor shook the man's hand.

"Rhys Williams, very pleased to meet you."

"And you," Rhys said, enjoying the attention and eager to flaunt it in front of Jack. "For the record, I don't actually work with Torchwood. Can't say I much approve of it either." Gwen elbowed her husband in the ribs while Jack shook his head with an exasperated sigh. The Doctor merely chuckled and Donna patted Rhys on the arm.

"Moving right along." Jack steered the Doctor towards the final member of his team, the man with the bruises and the fancy suit. Thus far he was the only one who hadn't spoken and for whatever reason he seemed reluctant to meet the Doctor's gaze, though he smiled politely when Jack introduced him. "Doctor, Donna, this is Ianto Jones."

"It's an honor, sir," Ianto said diffidently, composing himself enough to shake the Doctor's hand. "Jack's told us… absolutely nothing about you and yet he still manages to speak highly of you." Strangely, Donna thought she understood what Ianto meant. In the time she had spent with the Doctor, she had learned how capable he was of talking and talking and talking without ever actually saying anything, at least not anything with any real substance. Maybe the Doctor wasn't the only bloke with that particular skill.

"Oh, well that's…" the Doctor hesitated, trying to work out a proper response. "That's good. I reckon that's good. Isn't that good?" He glanced at Jack uncertainly before coming to a snap decision. "Mind you," he said, meeting Ianto's gaze. "Never ever believe a word Captain Jack says. I don't know what he's told you, but if he's told you what I think he's told you, then it's not true." The Doctor ran a hand through his hair, deep in contemplation. "Maybe it's not a good thing… Interesting, but no. No, no, no, no, no, no. Absolutely not. Whatever he's told you, it's not true."

"Right…" Ianto looked embarrassed; Martha, Jack and Gwen unsuccessfully attempted to suppress their smiles; and Donna felt as confounded as Rhys appeared. She had no idea what they were talking about, but it was evidently an awkward subject matter and the Doctor seemed to have dug his own grave. Donna wouldn't have thought it possible. Fortunately, Ianto was clever enough to navigate his way through the confusion. "In that case, sir, you're an enemy of the crown and Torchwood has a duty to arrest you."

"What?" Gwen and Rhys stared at Ianto in astonishment while Martha's eyes widened in surprise. Donna covered her mouth; enemy of the bloody crown? She certainly hadn't seen that coming! What the hell did Ianto mean, enemy of the crown? Then again, it might explain why the Doctor disapproved of the Torchwood Institute. Donna looked up at the Doctor and found him scratching the back of his head, clearly uncomfortable.

"I see, _that's _what you're talking about…" The Doctor sighed, dropping his arms. "You really are trying to turn Torchwood around, aren't you Jack? Still, I did get more of a fanfare when I was the enemy."

"What, now you want fanfare?" Donna had half a mind to slap him upside the head, but she settled with a good whack to the arm. "Fanfare for being an enemy of the crown? Rubbish, that's what you are."

"Tell me about it," Jack grumbled, feigning frustration though there still remained a twinkle in his eyes. "Nothing I do is ever good enough for you, is it Doctor? You always find reason to complain."

Rhys grinned. "Finally, someone who's not in awe of the great Captain Jack!"

"I know," Gwen agreed. "Must be why Jack's so infatuated."

Jack opened his mouth, but Martha beat him to the punch. "Don't listen to him; he's being rubbish, just like Donna said. I don't know about Britain, but the Doctor's certainly not the United Nations' enemy and yet he hates receiving fanfare from U.N.I.T." She looked up at the Doctor appreciatively. "The ultimate authority on Earth and you prefer lingering in the background. Disappearing off to distant places before anyone can recognize you."

"Speaking of which, Jack," the Doctor said, no longer keen on discussing fanfare. Turning to the captain, he held up his sonic screwdriver and gave it a quick little wave. "Since we're in agreement about my authority, guess what I picked up while I was so rudely scanning Gwen's genetic makeup? Vortex manipulation. Hand it over."

"Oh, come on!" Jack objected, much to Gwen and Rhys' pleasure. Donna got the distinct impression they weren't used to witnessing other people boss Jack around and certainly not without Jack humbling them for it. This must have been a rare treat for the couple, especially when Jack complied under the Doctor's insistence. He held out his arm sullenly and the Doctor brandished his sonic screwdriver over the small device on the leather strap Jack wore around his wrist. "You know, given that I did get it working again, who's to say I won't have it functional the moment you're back in the Tardis?"

The Doctor eyed Jack sternly. "Don't make me confiscate it." He dropped the sonic screwdriver into his pocket and crossed his arms. "Now then. Let's hear about this unbelievable day you've all had. I like unbelievable days. Donna and I just came from one ourselves, but apparently I'm drawn to them like a magnet and you lot didn't have me to attract…" He trailed off, his face suddenly pale, white as snow, as something in the distance caught his attention.

"There it is," Martha exclaimed, her grin broadening as she bounced on the balls of her feet. "I knew it wouldn't take a full half hour for you to notice! Twenty minutes, now that's cutting it close, but it definitely beats thirty." She held out a hand and Jack reluctantly relinquished a pocketful of money while the Doctor fumbled for his glasses, frantically shoving them on with an expression akin to panic. Confused and deeply concerned, Donna tried following his gaze but all she could see was the giant water tower and there wasn't anything odd about the water tower, was there?

"It never ceases to amaze me," Jack said, gripping Donna's arm with a familiarity she didn't mind at all. "We're talking about the most powerful perception filter on the planet, enhanced by the distractions Martha, Torchwood, and I have been causing, not to mention by the pure impossibility of the scenario. The Doctor's prejudiced against all things impossible; he tends to disregard them anyway and what with the perception filter he shouldn't be able to wrap his mind around this, he shouldn't be able to grasp it at all. I can't believe he noticed this quickly."

"Noticed what?" Donna demanded, her curiosity piqued.

"Rose," the Doctor whispered. Donna had never seen him so stunned and she looked back at the water tower just in time to witness a young woman with blonde hair literally stepping out of thin air. She was beautiful and when she smiled the whole city seemed to light up. Donna caught her breath; tears brimmed in Martha's eyes; Gwen and Rhys gazed at each other tenderly; and Ianto sighed, reaching for Jack's hand. The captain glanced him fondly before looking back at Rose, perfectly content, and Donna realized he had gone through hell to find her. The entire team had; they must have. Rose had been lost; so completely lost that not even the Doctor could get her back and for her to be there now… Whatever Torchwood had gone through, the expression on Rose's face, the expression on the Doctor's face, made it all worth while; their love, their joy, their relief and thanksgiving… it was a vision none of them would have missed for the world.

**ooooooo**


End file.
